Love Found Me
by Angellufy
Summary: Angel is a W&H lawyer. Buffy is in trouble. He wants to help. AU. M for a little violence and language.
1. Lawyer

**I am crazy! I have four stories going ****on and I found the time to write another one! Don't you love vacation?**

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"Boss, here is a new case. It is about a woman sexually assaulted. The case ended today and it was not favorable to her. Would you like to take a look at it?"

"Yes, Faith. Thank you. Put the file here. Who was the judge?"

"Judge Rayne."

Angel clenched his teeth. The man was a complete bastard who believed that if a man resorted to force to have a known woman, she was the main culprit because of the provocative clothes and behavior. If there were any technicalities as an excuse, a man would found a way to get out of prison time with him.

"That bastard?"

"Yeah. I still can't take that man."

Faith Lehane Weinberger was married to William Weinberger, one of the firm lawyers and his best friend. She was the first woman sexually assaulted he defended just after he was accepted in W&H. William already worked in the place and helped him around in the first days. Therefore, they became friends.

One day Angel was at the Court waiting for a hearing when a huge commotion took the main corridor. A young woman, Faith, passed him crying, something he didn't like to see. He decided to investigate the matter and discovered she was sexually assaulted, but the man went out in some technicality in a case judged by Rayne. He found her and offered to take her case. At first, she refused because W&H was a big firm and she wouldn't be able to pay.

Angel believed a person could not only be rich in this job, but that she or her could help people. Therefore, in his free time he took free cases from poor people who couldn't pay for legal advice and depended of the State. So, he said to Faith he was not going to charge her and left one of his cards with the girl.

Two days later, she got over her own fears and called. He defended her and won the case. During that time, Faith showed a great knowledge of laws. She said she had to read a lot after what happened to her so she'd be able to have a full view of her case. Angel noticed she was a really smart girl and hired her to be his secretary. She and William met in the office and hit it off. Two years later, he was the witness of their marriage.

"Drusilla called to say she arrived at her doctor to her appointment. She said when it ended she would give you a call. Don't forget you have to go to the bank with her."

"Thanks, Faith. Warn me when she called."

"How is the baby by the way?"

"Everything is ok. She is happiest because the baby is moving like crazy."

"You happy?"

"Yes."

Faith left his office and Angel caught the file with his new client to be data. Buffy Anne Summers, what a strange name.

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Buffy was tired. She hadn't be able to sleep after the result of the judgment the day before. Her assailants had left the court free of charges and she had spent the night crying. Now she was in the damn bank to solve some stupid problem about a credit card bill that couldn't be solved on the phone. She was distractedly looking around when she saw a tall man and a beautiful pregnant brunette walking in. They were directed to the VIP area of the bank where only the rich can go.

Buffy stayed eyeing the man. He had spiked brown hair and, as long as she could tell from distance, dark eyes. He was gently holding the arm of his pregnant wife while talking with the manager. The woman smiled at both occasionally while caressing her distended belly. They formed a beautiful couple and she thought of the time she wished to find someone as caring as that man. However, all of her dreams were shattered by Xander and his friends Riley and Forrest actions in a night six months before.

Suddenly, all hell broke loose.

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Four men were inside the bank holding guns and threatening everyone. People were scattered on the floor in a far corner of the main hall, while the police was outside. During the initial confusion after the burglars' announcement of the robbery, someone used a communication system to call the police. Police arrived and the burglars decided to keep everyone as hostages to leave the bank. They asked for a car and a free way out of the city, without police behind them and threatened to kill one of the hostages each hour. The men kept showing the gun while walking in front of them.

Buffy looked around and saw a woman with her girl in her lap. The small girl made a crying face and the woman panicked silently probably afraid her daughter would irritate one of the man and he'd shot her. There was a couple holding hands near her. From what she heard, they just got back from their honeymoon. An old woman that passed out after the robbery announce laid out in the floor and her head was being held by one of her relatives. The rich couple she saw before was holding hands, but the woman was clearly sweating. She seemed not god at all. She sometimes scrunched her face and held her belly. Maybe she was ready to have the baby. Buffy crawled her way to go near the couple because she wanted to see if she could help the woman. She heard the man voice when she approached. He looked at her.

"Dru, just try to relax?"

The woman hissed and made a face to Angel before replying.

"Screw you! You know… I'm in pain here!"

Then, her voice softened.

"Angel… I can't lose the baby. Not now, not after everything we went through."

"Shshsh! It won't happen again."

Angel eyed Buffy the whole time Drusila was talking while she looked at her.

"Hi. I couldn't avoid to see you are in trouble. Can I help?"

Drusilla eyed Buffy and gave a little smile to the petit woman in front of her. At that moment, one of burglars approached the place where the hostages were. He pointed Drusilla and shouted. Buffy had the sinking feeling the men would hold to their promise to the police.

"You! Come with me!"

"She can't move."

Angel panicked when the man grabbed Drusilla's arm and pull her up and tried to avoid it. Drusilla doubled over in pain, while the man pulled her more with him.

"You will be a perfect present for the police. A pregnant woman killed because they refused to obey us."

The man left Drusilla standing and prepared to shot, Angel and Buffy screamed and run to help her. In the last moment, the man changed his mind, pointed the gun to Buffy and shot her. Buffy fell while holding her stomach and seeing the blood seeping through her fingers.

Then, everyone screamed when several shots were heard.

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	2. Misunderstanding

**Answers to some questions! Here it goes.**

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Police snipers had the four burglars at gunpoint due to the commotion inside the bank and fired the moment Graham was at the bank doors. He released himself from the police officers holding him and ran to the bank the moment he saw one of the burglars holding his wife. He heard the shots, but didn't care because he had to get to her… or die trying.

He ran over the glass and was the first to arrive to help his brother-in-law, Angel, who was struggling to hold Drusilla as well as the young woman who was shot. Hostages poured through the main doors of the bank to the street while several officers came in.

"Angel."

Graham called Angel and took Drusilla from him lifting her up. She was in pain but conscious and looked to her brother.

"Angel. We... we have to… to help her. She took… a… a bullet for me."

He looked at Drusilla as if she had grown a head. Of course he would help the young woman. Angel nodded at his sister and lifted Buffy in his arms as well. Both men walked outside to be surrounded by paramedics. Sometime later, both women were admitted in a private hospital in LA.

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Angel knocked at the door and opened it to be granted by Drusilla and Graham. They had tried a baby for so long. Drusilla womb couldn't hold their first two pregnancies. When the third one finally occurred, they took all care so to avoid a miscarriage again. Now obviously, the couple had eyes only to the small baby girl being held in Drusilla's arms. Fortunately, although premature, the little bundle of joy was strong and was born without complications. There were flowers and cards all around the room. Angel and Drusilla's parents had come to see their first grandchildren early.

"Hey. Where is my little niece?"

Angel leaned to look at the baby girl and was mesmerized. He lunged to have a family too, but didn't find the right person yet. He patted Graham's shoulder and smiled.

"Nice one, brother. And how are you sis?"

"I am a little tired after the whole day, but I couldn't sleep until you came. How is she?"

"Still in surgery. Doctors didn't give any information yet."

Drusilla signed. Her husband kissed her head and took the little girl.

"Time for mommy go to sleep."

"I…"

"No I. Dru, you have to sleep. I know you are worried about the well-being of the blonde, but you have to rest. Anything, Angel will be back to tell us."

Drusilla looked to her husband and back to Angel. She had to recognize she was tired.

"Ok… but you will have to come here as fast as you know something."

"Ok."

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Angel sat in the waiting room thinking. LA had more than 4 million people living in it. This morning he received a file of an unknown woman called Buffy Summers just for two hours later be in debit with her because she was shot instead of his sister. After dealing with her entry in the hospital, which mean looking for her ID in her purse, he tried to call friends, but didn't find a cell phone or any number to call.

"Angel?"

"Oh, Wesley. How is she?"

Angel looked at the face of his long time friend and knew that at least the worst didn't happen.

"She will live. Her injuries were not life threatening, but she had a profuse bleeding and we took the bullet out. No problem occurred during her surgery. We transferred her to a room, but she is still unconscious. We will keep her sedate until tomorrow so she won't have to deal with pain. Do you want to see her?"

"Yes."

Angel followed his friends to her room and thanked God she was all right after everything that had already happened to her. He vowed to help her put her assailants in jail. Wesley pointed the door to Angel and excused himself because he needed to see other patients. Angel just nodded and entered the room.

Buffy was hooked to a heart monitor and an IV was attached to her arm. She was a little gaunt and had circles around her eyes, but he could see she was beautiful. He had seen her eyes when she came to help Drusilla and they were a lighter green. For some reason, he just was furious with the man who ruined the life of this woman. He decided to leave her to rest and tell his sister she was going to live.

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Buffy opened her eyes slowly, feeling her throat sore. She saw a bright light over her and looked around. She could tell she was in a hospital. A very expensive one for that matter. She tried to get out of bed, but a strong pair of hands held her.

"Hey. What are you doing?"

She didn't look to the owner of the strong voice because she felt dizzy and had to close her eyes. She imagined it was one of the hospital nurses. She breathed hard again and gave an answer, still feeling dizzy and unable to open her eyes.

"I have to go. Can't… can't stay here. Too… too… expensive. Can't really pay."

Angel looked at the woman he was holding down in bed and sighed.

"Don't worry. Everything is taking care of."

The melodious voice made Buffy feel comforted and sleep was claiming her again. She made a huge effort to open her eyes. She thought she was seeing the beautiful man whose wife was almost shot, but she knew it was her imagination. However, he seemed so real, so gently and he was speaking to her.

"You don't have to worry about anything. You can stay here and get better."

Buffy was still sore and tired to agree or disagree with anything. She just closed her eyes again and let sleep drag her.

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**AN.: Yay! Drusilla is Angel's sister not his wife. Of course he was happy for his sister finally having the baby she wanted so much.**


	3. Visitor

**Here it goes! ****Let's see what BA are up to.**

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Angel read Buffy's file and was disgusted not only with what happened to the girl, but also with the apparent lack of proof. Although her medical examinations proved she was sexually assaulted, it seemed Buffy's assailants, one of them called Alexander Harris, an old friend, did not leave anything to prove they did. For some reason he did not know, he looked at the pictures of the three men in her file and was completely sure they had done what was in it.

Faith did a great job adding more information to the files. She picked news with pictures of the three men. In more than once, Alexander Harris was wearing a satisfied smirk. In another one, they met in the door of the tribunal and he was looking clearly lustful at Buffy.

Of course, he would have to talk with Buffy. According to her file, her parents were not poor, but she did not get a private lawyer and used a public defender instead. He knew her lawyer was good, but maybe he had left something out and only a talk with her could bring clues for him to follow.

"ANGEL?"

Angel was so engrossed with thoughts of his new client that he jumped when he heard Faith's scream through the speakerphone.

"Faith."

"Where were you? I called four times."

"Sorry. Reading some files."

"It's one."

"Thanks."

Angel collected some files and left his room. He had to go to the tribunal for a meeting on a case, but he decided to go to the hospital to check Buffy first.

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Buffy opened her eyes slowly feeling a little better. She slowly lulled her head from one side to the other to look around and noticed again that she was clearly in a private room that she could not pay. She remembered the brown-eyed man telling her it was ok, that everything was taken care of, but could she believed it. The day before she was sure she was under the effect of something, maybe some anesthesia. Maybe she just had just dreamed about it. She moved her hand and saw the IV attached to it, which was removed. She tried to lift her body from bed, but pain spread to her torso and she cried out… the exact moment Angel opened the door.

"What are you doing?"

Buffy's head shot up to look at Angel and her eyes got wide. He was not a hallucination after all. She whimpered again because of the pain shooting up the side she was shot.

"I… I… have to go. I can't stay here. I can't pay."

Angel had a strong urge to hold Buffy. Her eyes were full of unshed tears and her lower lip was quivering while she tried to keep from crying. He saw the IV hanging lose and use the communicator near the bed to call for a nurse.

"Didn't you hear me yesterday? I told you everything is set. I'm paying for it."

Buffy recoiled immediately and looked at him suspiciously. When she finally spoke her voice was rasp and broken.

"Why are you doing it?"

"You took a bullet for my sister. Not only her, but also my brother-in-law and their baby girl. If I give you all the money in the world it will be less then you deserve for that."

Buffy could not hold the tears anymore. They ran freely over her face. Angel just held her hand until she calmed down. He was never comfortable in this situation because he was never that good in handling emotional situations. He didn't like to see anyone crying. However, he didn't want to be any other place then holding the hand of the woman in front of him.

He picked some paper towel and leaned over her to clean her face when she tried to do it with her hand. Suddenly, their eyes met… and held. He found himself unable to breathe drowning in her hazel eyes. She was the one to break the eye contact.

"I didn't do anything. I didn't take a bullet for your sister. That man just chose to shot me first."

"Maybe… but he shot you instead of my sister no matter what you say. Our family will be forever grateful."

A nurse finally appeared. She was a young blonde and checked Angel thinking to herself that he was a hot. She turned to Buffy, who was staring at her.

"So, you are wake?"

"Yeah."

"And you took your IV I can see. You can't take it sweet. Part of your medication goes through it."

"I don't like medications."

"Oh, but you will… believe me! A bullet wound can be quite painful before the healing kicks in."

"Can I… can I have some water? I am thirsty."

Darla grabbed the water jar in a table near the bed, put of some of its content in a cup, and gave it to Buffy, whom drunk greedily.

"I need to go… to go the bathroom."

"Ok. Let me help you."

Darla, the nurse, got the wheelchair in one corner of the room and brought it near the bed. She used a button on the bedside to raise its head. Buffy threw her legs to the side and stood up, but her legs gave up on her and she would have fallen if not for Angel.

"Ok. Let's do it in my way."

Angel just lifted Buffy in his arms and marched to the bathroom where he put her down, but kept holding her.

"Can you hold yourself up?"

"I think I can. T-t-thank you."

Angel just shook his head and left the room closing the door behind him.

When Buffy was finished, she opened the door to see Angel and the nurse talking. He almost ran to her when he saw her standing there. For some reason, he realized she was small, vulnerable and held herself like a defeated person.

"No. I… I… can walk."

She thought she could, but two steps later, her legs gave up on her again. However, Angel was close enough to hold her. He picked her up and brought her back to the bed. Darla checked Buffy's vitals and reattached the IV. Buffy looked at Angel and made a face when she tried to adjust herself in a better position on the bed.

"It's painful."

"Look sweet… I'm going to give something to sleep a little more."

She did exactly that. In just moments, Buffy felt her eyelids heavy and darkness enveloped her.

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"Hey, Wes."

Angel stopped by the emergence room to ask for Wesley. He was informed his friend was in the cafeteria.

"Hey, Angel. How are you?"

"I'm well, but my last case is consuming my time a lot. I'll have a meeting today."

"Are you going to meet us in The Tavern tomorrow? Doyle is bragging about something he did with the bar. Spike confirmed."

"I'll see. When do you think Buffy will be better?"

"Well. It's been five days. She seems a slow healer so maybe in fifteen days she will be read to go. What worries me is that she didn't receive any visit. So, I assume she didn't have family or friends around and she will need some help when at home. There are some medications she will need to take. And she will need to rest. Why are you asking anyway?"

"That's not a problem. She will be staying in the house."

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**AN: Yay! ****There goes Angel taking decisions for Buffy… but it is a nice one. What will Buffy think of this arrangement?**

** No Darla in this story, she did just a cameo.**


	4. The proposal

"You ready?"

"Yes. Do I really have to go in this?"

"Yes. It is standard hospital procedure. Did you get your prescriptions?"

"Yes."

Buffy showed the prescriptions to the nurse, but she would find the nearest trash to throw it out because she couldn't afford to buy anything. Save money was her first problem because probably she didn't have a job anymore.

"Is someone going to pick you?"

"No. Can you… can you point me to a bus stop when I am outside?"

Buffy signed and sat in the wheelchair. Darla pushed it through the door. When they arrived at the hospital entrance, both women found Angel leant on his car. He walked to the door and took the wheelchair handle from Darla, who yet again gave him an inviting smile, which was ignored.

"What… what are you doing here?"

"Didn't you think you would go home alone, did you?"

"You don't have to do this. There… there is a bus stop around here. I mean… you must have your work to do and… and… and be occupied and… and I am taking you out of your…"

She yawned. Angel raised an eyebrow and gave her a smile.

"You were saying?"

When she just yawned again, he smiled and lifted her from the chair. He was dismayed of how frail she seemed despite being well cared during her time in the hospital. Wes said that she slept a lot and he thought her general symptoms were of someone suffering from a great exhaustion. In addition, according with nurse's reports she was not sleeping well. At least, not without some sleep medication.

"I'm not an invalid, you know?"

Angel helped her into his car and they left the hospital's grounds for Buffy relief.

"Yeah. Are you sure you don't want to go to my mother's house? You are not in any condition to stay alone."

"Look, I already thanked her, but I am able to care for myself."

Angel's mother, Caroline, had come to see her one afternoon and offered her to stay in her house, but Buffy didn't accept. She knew she should not be alone, but after what happened to her, she developed some trust issue with people. She had trusted Xander, didn't she?

Besides that, there were many problems for her to solve and hide in the woman's house would not do any good. After the result of the judgment, she was thinking of leaving the city anyway. She yawned again and smiled ashamedly when Angel looked at her. The car balance lulled her to sleep.

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Buffy woke up to find herself in another bedroom, which was not her own. The clean huge room of white walls had some flowers painted in them and smelled of vanilla. She realized she was in a full sized bed covered with fluffy blue sheets. There were two doors in the room. One she thought was for the bathroom and the other one clearly lead to a balcony.

In the opposite side of her bed, there was a wardrobe. Besides it, stood a table with a full mirror in the wall behind it. Buffy made a face when she realized what happened.

"I'm going to kill him!"

Buffy threw the covers and stood up… too fast. This time Angel was not in the room and she fell in her butt. Finally, the little control she had over herself shattered and Buffy leaned against the bed, propped her head in her knees and sobbed her heart out...

That was the way Angel found her.

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"Buffy."

Angel kneeled in front of Buffy and tried to touch her, but she didn't move. It was as if she didn't even register he was there. He called her once, twice, three times and she finally looked at him… and shied away with nothing but panic in her eyes.

"Why did you bring me here… against… against my will?"

She pressed herself to the wall far away from Angel. When he tried to move, she grabbed a porcelain jar in the small table near the bed.

"Buffy. I am not going to do anything against you. I brought you here because you couldn't stay in your place. That building doesn't even have a working elevator and it seemed unsafe for a girl that lives alone to be."

"How do you… how do you know I'm alone?"

"Buffy. Nobody came to see you during your stay in the hospital. Besides, we will be seeing each other a lot from now on."

"Why?"

Angel got up and walked to the other side of the room so he'd seem less menacing to Buffy.

"Because I'm a lawyer and I will help you with your problem."

"I can't pay a lawyer. Let alone one as yourself."

"You won't have to pay."

Angel should have measured his words. The moment he said them, panic overtook Buffy.

"Get out! Get out!"

Angel realized she was near hysterics. He walked towards her, but she threatened him with the jar she was holding.

"Buffy..."

"NO! GET OUT! STAY… STAY AWAY… FROM ME!"

In her panic, she threw the jar against him. The, she grabbed a glass cup and did the same.

"WHAT SORT… SORT OF SICK JOKE IS THIS… YOU GET WOMEN AND… AND… I WON'T DO IT… YOU WILL HAVE TO FORCE ME JUST LIKE THEY DID…"

Angel looked at the furious woman in front of him. She was holding the telephone and threatening to throw it too at him.

"LET ME GO! I… I… promise I won't tell anyone! Just… please… let me go!"

Before Angel could say anything, the bedroom door opened and his sister, mother and Faith came into the room. Buffy just sat in the near end of the bed seeing all the commotion, embraced her knees and rocked back and forth.


	5. Help

**Will Buffy realize she can trust Angel? Let's see.**

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"Angel, What is happening here?"

Angel looked from the trembling and rocking Buffy to his family and back to her.

"I… I don't know, mother. We were talking and then she just panicked."

Drusilla walked to the bed where Buffy sat engulfed in her own world in which was clearly a panic attack.

"Buffy? Buffy? It is ok. Nobody is going to hurt you. Talk to me."

Drusilla's voice slowly penetrated Buffy's clouded mind, but she kept her face hidden. Drusilla turned to Angel and that was when Buffy finally raised her head to look at the people in the room.

"Tell me what happened?"

Angel did.

"Of course she would think that, Angel. She is in a strange place with a stranger man that paid her hospital bill and wants to help her… and she didn't have to pay. Even I would be afraid of it. Now get out!"

"WHAT?"

"Let me and Faith handle the situation."

"Faith?"

"Yes. You didn't approach Faith very well too. She may talk to Buffy and clear your ass. We will help her."

Drusilla, who was a psychiatrist and was filled by Angel on Buffy's problems, looked at her mother, who took Angel's arm.

"Come on, son. The girls can take care of everything… and you will have to explain to me what is happening."

"I…"

He was dragged by his mother out of the room.

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Drusilla stared at Buffy right in the eye. She sat in the bed and motioned for Faith to do the same.

"Buffy, do you remember me?"

Buffy was not trembling or rocking anymore and shook her head affirmatively.

"You… you are the pregnant woman of the bank."

"Yes. My name is Drusilla and I'm sorry I didn't go to see you, but with Anne…"

"Anne?"

"Yes. I named my daughter after your middle name."

Buffy's eyes watered. After everything that went on with her life in the past months, it was soothing to her soul to know someone thought of her highly enough to give her name to a little baby girl.

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Well… if someone has to say something it is me, but I guess the rest of my family already crowded you with many thank you huh?"

Both women smiled.

"Buffy, Angel is my brother. He will not do anything against you. He is not the best with words outside the court, but he means no harm to you. He would never take advantage of a woman in any way."

"He… said he wanted to help me, but… but I was not to pay with money so I just…"

"I know. My brother is not very tactful. Look, this is Faith, she can tell you more than anyone that my brother is not and will not take advantage of you."

Faith played with her fingers before raising her head. As much as time had passed, what happened to her was still fresh and hurt like hell.

"Angel is really a lawyer, Buffy… and a good one. Four years ago, a security guard of the firm I worked for assaulted me. Angel saw me in the court after the case was lost. He offered to help me and I reacted… well… pretty much like you did. He left a card with me and I called. I… well… I offered it, but he kind of… well, he got offended, but defended me. We won the case. He thought I was smart enough and hired me as his secretary. I am now married to one of his friends, who is also a lawyer."

"So, he really wants to help?"

"Yes. He does. I was in the court the day your case was closed. It was I who brought the case to Angel's attention. The question is… Do you want his help to put the men who did it to you behind the bars? Angel is a really a good lawyer."

Faith took pity of the young blonde in the bed. She had puffed red eyes from crying and looked too thin. She reminded Faith of herself back in those days.

"If you want I can be with you so you won't be alone with him ever."

"Thank you. I am… I am sorry for all the commotion I caused. Where is your brother? I guess I own him an apology."

"Buffy, have you had a panic attack before?"

"Y-y-yes. I… I kind of am afraid of men when I am alone with them."

Buffy's face went bright red with her shame. She was a twenty-two grown woman afraid of men.

"That is understandable. I am a psychiatrist and I would like to help you with this."

Buffy just shook her head.

"I guess you need to rest. We are going to leave. When you were up to it, we can talk."

"Thank you."

Both women turned to leave.

"Drusilla."

"huh?"

"Can you tell… tell Angel to come here?"

"Yes."

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While waiting for any of the girls to come down, Angel told his mother and Spike, who was with Faith visiting baby Anne, everything since he received in Buffy's file. He stole looks to the stairs and got up the moment Drusilla and Faith set foot in it.

"How is she?"

"She has calmed down. She wants to talk to you."

Angel ran upstairs, jumping the steps two at a time, without looking back to everyone astonishment.

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"Hey. Can I come in?"

Buffy was tucked under her blanket and looked at Angel while he entered her room. This time, he kept his distance.

"My sister told me you wanted to talk to me."

"Yes. I just want to say that I'm sorry for… for what I did before. Drusilla and Faith explained things to me too."

"It doesn't matter. My sister explained it all. If… if you don't want to be here I can take you to your place."

"No… You… you were right. I can't… stay alone."

Angel realized Buffy was breathing with some difficult.

"Are you sure you are well?"

"Pain."

"Oh, God! You overexercised in your panic attack. Didn't the hospital give you anything for the pain?"

"Yes. There is a prescription in my purse."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it for you. I'll ask for a small meal for you. Do you have any preference?"

She shook her head no and Angel turned around to leave, but turned back when she called him.

"Thank you."

She didn't need an answer. Angel smiled when Buffy snuggled into the sheets and closed her eyes a little.

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**AN: I guess this is a beginning. ****Trust is something you have to earn and fears should be conquered. Buffy has started with the conquering part.  
**


	6. When we talk

**Will Buffy realize she can trust Angel? Let's see.**

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"I guess things between your two did not go wrong this time. No screaming."

Drusilla looked curiously at her brother when he came back from Buffy's room. He seemed agitated.

"No. We talked. She apologized…"

He grabbed his suit, which was on the sofa, and frantically searched for something inside its pockets.

"…have any of you seem my wallet?"

"I believe you left it with the car keys in the kitchen counter."

Angel left for the kitchen, while the woman in the room exchanged puzzled looks. Faith was the one to voice the question ranging in the air.

"What is wrong with him?"

Drusilla looked at her mother and Faith and smiled.

"I have a hunch."

Angel was a well-known workaholic that did not have much time for anything personal, which was a shame. She knew the whole affair with Cordelia took its toll on him, but it did not seem so right now. He was too much interested in the girl and his interest was not the same one he had when he helped Faith. He came back holding the car keys and his wallet and just left.

"Are you going out?"

"Yes. I got Buffy's prescription and I'll go buy it for her. Can you check on her?"

"Why?"

"She was in pain upstairs."

He just turned and left. When the door clicked after his exit, Drusilla turned around and looked at Faith and her mother.

"I think our Angel is finally smitten with someone again."

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Buffy tried to sleep, but her stomach was hurting and sleep refused to come. The bed was comfortable and made her remember her own bed back at the parent's house. So much had changed since the last time she slept in that bed.

Now she was living for the moment in a house on other people's charity. She was pretty sure that she did not have a job anymore. How she was going to pay the rattrap she lived in she did not know, but she would manage.

"Can I come in?"

A woman Buffy did not know was standing at the door with one house worker who was holding a tray with food.

"Y-e-s."

Buffy stammered. The woman was old, but beautiful. She had a striking likeness with Angel and Drusilla, so Buffy assumed she was their mother.

"Here is some food for you. My name is Caroline by the way. I am Angel and Drusilla's mother."

"You did not have to… I mean… I don't want to cause any trouble."

"That's no sense! My daughter has her own place as well as Angel. It is good to have someone to care for again. Besides, I am very sure you didn't eat well at the hospital. I absolutely hate them."

She winked at Buffy who smiled back. She remembered her adoptive mother before Dawn's appearance.

"Me too."

"Now we agree about something."

She helped Buffy to a better position so she would be able to eat. Buffy winced.

"Oh, sorry! My son told us you were in pain. He left to buy your prescription and will be back soon. Don't you have anyone to call?"

Caroline saw Buffy's eyes watering.

"No. There is… there is no one, but… but thanks for asking. I just want to say that I'll leave as soon as this damn need to sleep the entire time and weakness pass."

Caroline looked startled by the girl declaration. Angel may have decided something against the girl wish, but it was pretty obvious she was not well to stay alone.

"Did we do something you did not like?"

"No… no… no… I just don't want be a weight on you."

"Sweet, you can stay here as long as you want. Don't worry about anything. I already told you. It is good to have someone around."

Buffy smiled at Caroline again.

"So, let's eat something?"

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Angel encountered his mother in the corridor to Buffy's room when he came back from the pharmacy with her medicines. He opened the door a little to peck inside and see if she was wake, which she was.

"You came back."

"Yes… and with your medicines. Here are the inflammatory as well as the painkillers for you. Do you want something more? My mother said you already ate. I see someone left you some water too. "

Angel sat at the foot of the bed. He was babbling, which was ridiculous, mainly because he didn't know why. He watched as Buffy took one of the pills, put it in her mouth, and drank a large amount of water.

"Thanks. I'll be ok now. I guess you have to go do your things."

"Yes. Actually, my thing is your case. Of course, we won't talk about this now, but we will have to talk about it at some point ahead. I have to know what happened so I can trace the better strategy to represent you and deal with your case."

Buffy closed her eyes for a moment. She did not want to remember any of that horror again. She just wanted to forget everything.

"I don't want to open the case again."

"WHAT?"

"Look Angel, I… I am really thankful for what you are trying to do and Faith said you are good at what you do, but I am leaving the city as fast as I can. I just want to leave all of this behind."

Angel felt his heart fall into an endless abyss. His chest squeezing with the knowledge she was planning to leave the city. Weird.

"Besides… what are my chances? They didn't leave any proof that could be used against them."

"Buffy… there is no such thing is a perfect crime. There is always something left behind. Believe me. Running away won't help you either. I will find a way to beat those men and you deserve justice."

She gave him a hint of a smile. Buffy thought he was beautiful before, but right now, he was showing a lot more. Besides kindness, he was smart and talked passionately about his work. The way he said her name felt like a caress to her soul. Weird.

"Why do you do it?"

"What?"

"This. Help people like this. I mean… you are rich, that much I can tell. Faith said you sometimes help people who can't pay. There are not a lot of lawyers out there who would do the same."

"I'm not most people. I do it because I don't like injustice. So, if I can help… I will."

Buffy yarned.

"Look, you have to sleep and we can talk again latter. Unfortunately, you will have to tell me everything. There is always something left behind."

She smiled at him again.

"Thanks"

Angel walked towards the door, but stopped there, turned and observed Buffy, who sighed, closed her eyes, and let the sleep drag her.

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	7. Thoughts

**Ehehehehe… ****longtime, no see. I'm back with one more chapter about our favorite couple.**

_Word__s in italic are thoughts._

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"Oh my God!"

Buffy looked to her image in the mirror and freaked out. She woke up around six in the morning and, after much tossing and turning, she realized she couldn't go back to sleep. So, she decided to get up carefully and go to the bathroom to take a shower. That was when she finally could see her own image in the big mirror over the sink.

She was horrible. Her blonde hair was dry as straw and completely messed up. She had dark, blue-ish circles under her eyes. Her face was sunken and she looked too thin. No wonder Angel's mother insisted for her to eat last night.

"Shit! Angel saw…"

She closed her mouth when she pictured his image, but dismissed it quickly. She was really ashamed that everyone in the house she was staying had seen her like this. Buffy knew it was childish to think of appearances, but if she didn't have a lot right now, she still had her own pride, although she didn't have clothes to dress.

After the shower, which she took with some difficulty, she cleaned the wound and covered it again. Fortunately, she found bandages around and saw for the first time the wound the shot left. It was red, but didn't hurt much that morning, maybe because of the painkillers she took last night, which she would take again when she went back to the bedroom.

"What now?"

She walked in the bedroom wearing nothing but a fluffy towel and went straight to the wardrobe. That was when she saw a small luggage in a chair, which she opened to found some of her clothes inside it and a note.

"_I took the liberty to go to your place and get some things. The bathroom has some __supplies so you can take care of your wound. Angel."_

Buffy held the paper against her chest and smiled.

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"Morning, Faith"

Angel crossed the desk of his assistant and went to his office. Faith came in behind him holding some papers. She informed Angel of his agenda for the day.

"Morning, Boss. Mrs. Miller will be here any moment. She said the healthy company contacted her proposing a deal. She is bringing the contract for you to see."

"Thanks, Faith. Send her in the moment she arrives."

"Ok."

Faith and Angel sat in his chair. He picked Mrs. Miller files on his desk, but found he couldn't concentrate in it because Buffy's image kept popping up in his head. After her outburst the day before and their later talk, he kept having the strange urge to beat her assailants senseless. It was pretty obvious the girl was afraid, which reminded him of Faith, but he felt things with her were different.

While Faith was valiant despite the things that had happened to her, Buffy had a sort of delicacy that entranced him. He read from her files that her parents had disowned her after what happened. He still wondered what sort of parents they were to leave their own daughter alone in such a situation as hers was. Then, he found out Buffy was in fact adopted, which pained him even more. For some reason, he didn't found any of this right.

He couldn't even contemplate to have a family, a house, a wealthy life… and suddenly have nothing. He found out that Buffy abandoned her journalism course in the university. She was taking care of herself for the last six months without any help and, as if things weren't difficulty enough, she didn't even have a place to live anymore. When he went to pick some of her things he found out they moved her belongs to the basement of the building she lived in because she didn't pay the rent and disappeared for a week. Her small room was rented to someone else.

Of course, he knew he was worried with her because he would have to give her this bad news. He didn't like injustice and it seemed to him her life was full of it as of late. Angel was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't realize he was being called.

"Angel? Angel? Angel!"

"Huh?"

He had turned around to look through the window while thinking about Buffy. He turned back to see Faith staring at him.

"Hey. Where were you? I've been calling you through the speakerphone and from here for like a minute. Did you just zone out? Are you ok?"

"Sorry, Faith. Yes, I am ok. Just thinking. What were you saying?"

Faith studied Angel for a moment. He was clearly upset about something.

"Mrs. Miller is here."

"Ok. Send her in, please."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

After taking some painkillers, finding out some of her clothes and toiletries, and blushing to a red shade when she realized that Angel had seen some of her fancy underwear, Buffy decided to clean her hair and improve her image a little. She didn't want Angel… well, the people in the house to see her so disheveled.

She had just sat back in bed when his mother opened the door just a little probably to see if she was wake.

"Hey, you are wake."

"Yes. I guess my need for sleep is passing."

"That is good. You look a lot better."

"Thanks. A good shower and clean clothes can do wonders."

Buffy smiled.

"Here, take you prescription. My son called just five minutes ago to warn me to wake up so you could take them in the right time. Like I didn't take care for two kids… that young man…"

Caroline huffed and then smiled.

"Your son is being too kind to me. You raised a gentleman."

"That I did!"

Buffy took the pills, a glass of water and drank without looking to Caroline. She lost the chance to see the amused smile on Caroline's face.

"I'll leave the pills here so you can take them later. Don't you need to change the bandages?"

"I already did."

"You shouldn't have done it alone. It must have been painful."

"I… I woke up too early and I just had the need to change them. It was not difficult or anything. I guess the painkillers were still working. I just had to take care not to stretch too much."

"I'll send a tray with your breakfast."

"No. No need. I'll go downstairs… I… that is, if there isn't any problem."

"Of course not. Come on, I help you. If you were up for it, later we can go to see my greenhouse. My favorite past time is to grow roses."

"That would be good. I'll be up to it because I don't think I can stand a bed anymore."

At that moment, the door to Buffy's room opened and Drusila came in. She kissed her mother in the cheek and turned to Buffy.

"Hi."

"Hi. It's good to see you are up. Someone is here to know you."

Without further ado, Drusila put baby Anne in Buffy's arms to her astonishment. Buffy looked at Drusilla with tears in her eyes and then peered at the little girl, who was previously fusing in her mother's arms, but just calmed down and looked interested at Buffy.

"Hello. Little Anne."

Buffy kissed the forehead of the baby girl who just held one lock of her hair.

"She is beautiful."

"Thanks."

Buffy and Drusilla exchanged a look and it was clear the thank you was not only because the baby was beautiful. It was because she was there with them.

"It seems she likes you. Her father, my husband Graham, is just beyond himself with her. His little princess… let's not talk of the fact she is a minicopy of him. I saw you were getting up when I came in."

"Yes."

That was the moment Buffy's stomach decided to announce he existed… loudly.

"Oooppps."

Caroline smiled and turned to her daughter.

"Dru, can you take little Anne? Buffy didn't have breakfast and we were going downstairs."

Buffy handed over the girl to her mother and got up. After a while, all the women were in the kitchen eating breakfast. After it, Buffy, Drusilla, and Caroline went to see the roses. They ended in the patio near the pool so Buffy could see the sun again. That was where Angel found all the women.

He approached them, but stopped when he saw Buffy holding Anne. For a second, he got the mental image of her with a big belly with his baby. He shook his head when he realized the inappropriate thoughts.

"_What is wrong with me?" _

"So, my women are outside. That is not fair. I have to be in a small cubicle with artificial lights."

Angel approached his mother and kissed her cheek. He did the same with Drusilla, then he bend over to kiss Anne's forehead. He and the women realized that Buffy tensed up with his closeness. Both women exchanged a look. Caroline was definitively frightened.

"Who are you and what you did to my son?"

"Not funny, mom."

Angel made a face to his mother.

"You are here… in a weekday nonetheless. That is not something I am used to."

"I was in the house of a client near here. So, I decided to drop by… or am I not allowed here anymore now that you have a grandchild?"

"Please, Angel… aren't you a little too old to be this jealous of your mother?"

He made a face again and then smiled to his mother.

"Is it working? I guess you will have another person for lunch."

"Why is that? You had other cases around here and didn't bother to come."

"There was no grandchild then. I have to mark my territory."

Drusilla punched Angel's arms. Buffy looked from mother to son to daughter. She was amused by their exchanges. It was pretty clear they loved one another. Suddenly, she realized she didn't have the same luck. She felt a big lump form in her throat, so she gobbled hard to avoid more emotions and turned her attention to Anne.

Angel didn't have any case near his mother's house. When he realized it was noon, he came straight from his office to his mother's house for lunch. He knew his family would be reunited since his mother didn't work and Drusilla was in her maternity leaving. He missed the time they could be like that. However, If he were true to himself, he would admit that he wanted to see how Buffy was doing too.

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Angel stole looks at Buffy when nobody was paying attention to him. Or so he thought. He was the first to see she was yarning too much. Without even realizing it, he extended his hand over the table to touch hers. She pulled her hand at the first contact.

"Sorry, I…"

"No. That is ok. I think that you should sleep."

"huh?"

"You were yarning for at least the last five minutes."

"Was I? I didn't realize it."

"You were."

Caroline and Drusilla, who were fusing over Anne while the baby was in her stroller, were also paying attention to the couple in the other side of the table and exchanged a look.

"My son is right, Buffy. You should take a nap if you body asks for it."

"Thanks."

"I can carry you."

Angel was stunned with his proposal. Buffy stared at him, panic written all over her face. Of course, she knew it was Angel, the good person that everyone said he was, but Xander had been a good person too. She knew Angel wouldn't attack her, but her mind had ideas of her own. That meant not going near any man. She panicked.

"What? No… no… I… can… I… walk."

Her breath was ragged. She was hyperventilating. Drusilla motioned for Angel to get away from Buffy and held her hand.

"Buffy, sweet. Breathe ok. Look at me. Focus in me. Breathe. Buffy. Buffy. Focus in me. Breathe."

Buffy's panic attack subsided slowly. When she finally realized what had happened she looked at Angel.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry. I just…"

Angel and Caroline were standing up far enough from Buffy. Caroline saw the pained expression on her son's face. The tension in his body was obvious as was the need to hold the girl near him, if it wasn't herself holding him back.

"You don't have to be sorry."

Buffy didn't mind the tears that were running freely.

"I just… I know you won't hurt me but…"

Drusilla diverted Buffy's attention from her brother by squeezing her hand.

"It is ok, Buffy. Has this happened before?"

Buffy didn't dare to look at Angel again. She just shook her head.

"Yes. I lost one of my jobs in a restaurant because of these things. Sometimes, men looked at me and I just freaked out."

Drusilla squeezed Buffy hand again and put some of her hair behind her ears.

"That is understandable. Buffy, you had a panic attack. I told you I could help you. It won't be easy for you, but it can be treated. A combination of therapy and antidepressants can help. I don't usually prescribe anything to my patients until a first talk so I can evaluate them."

"There is… Is there really some treatment?"

"Yes. You will have to help yourself fight your fears. We will have to take the fear you got from men after what happened. Therapy is here for it."

"Can I really fight my own fear?"

"Yes."

Buffy surprised everyone with her next words. She turned to Angel.

"You said you could carry me. I… I accept your offer… if you are up for it.

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**Yay! First degree contact is coming!**

**I guess they are feeling it... well, they don't know it... **

**Wow! This is the biggest chapter I've ever write apart from my**** one shot fics. I hope you like it. I know Buffy's life seems miserable right now, but as Kathy Perry says in her song Fireworks, after a hurricane comes the rainbow. **


	8. The Past

**Can I say that I'm pissed off with this site? I mean. I can't reply to the reviews and now I can't even upload new docs. One more step and my account will be unusable.**

** Now let's quite with the whining! Ehehehehe… longtime, no see. I am back with a new chapter about our favorite couple.**

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The moment Buffy closed her mouth her courage vanished in thin air. She asked herself what she was thinking. Angel… well… his whole family was being really nice to her, but what would they think of such a request. A bad voice somewhere in her head, however, reminded her Angel offered.

"Then come on. I'll walk with you to the house and just help you up the stairs, which I think is best for you."

Angel offered his hand to Buffy who was biting her lip nervously. Drusilla and her mother just looked to the exchange closely for Buffy's utter embarrassment. She looked at Angel's hand and realized this was a chance she could not lose to confront her own fears. She accepted his hand.

Then, it happened. Buffy and Angel made everything possible to hide their reaction to each other touch. Their heartbeat speed increased and they felt the electricity that sparkled around them. For Buffy, the touch sent an electric pulse through her body, down her spine that made something in her core just give a somersault. Her eyes widened just for a moment, but Angel didn't saw it because he was too engrossed in his own reaction. He felt every muscle in his body tense up, his chest squeeze and something wake up in his lower parts, which was enough to make him grow ashamed.

To break the somehow inappropriate moment, Angel tried to grab his suit, which was suddenly whisked away to a chair in the other side of the chair he sat previously. It was now near his mother who just looked at him and shook her head no.

"Mom. I'll be back soon."

"Yeah."

His mother gave him the same half smile that was a family characteristic and he heard Drusilla sniggering behind him. He knew he was in big trouble now, but his attention reverted to the woman whose hand he was holding. He couldn't explain why or how, but he had the strongest urge to help her, keep the small blonde safe. The worst was this was not the same thing that happened with Faith. He had wanted to help the brunette, but he never had this damn need to be protective if he was honest with himself. That was also true for any other girl he ever knew, including the ones he dated.

He rationalized it was maybe because of her whole situation. He had to suppress an amused smile when Buffy yarned again. He would use his moment with her to give the bad news too.

"Still tired."

"Yeah. Me and any sort of sedative didn't go well."

Buffy's voice was bitter and she shuddered. Angel misread it as cold.

"Hey, you cold?"

"No. It is nothing. Just something I remembered."

Angel had to suppress the need to turn to Buffy and embrace her. He had read about it in her files.

"It was what they did, wasn't it?"

Buffy stopped into her tracks and turned to Angel. She swallowed hard and started to walk again.

"I'm sorry. I should not have brought this up."

"No. It… it is ok. If you are really to defend me in court, I guess we will have to talk about it anyway. How did you…"

"I read it in your files."

Buffy just shook her head. They had arrived at the main door of the house and Angel opened it.

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"What do you think?"

Caroline reversed her eyes from the young couple walking away to her daughter who was displaying a really bright smile. Too bright.

"Mom, do I have to think anything? It is so pretty obvious. They are smitten with each other. They just can't see. If we have any doubt, now we can be way too sure of that. Are you planning to tell him anything?"

Caroline considered her daughter's question, what she saw, and the silent conversation she had with her son before he left.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mom"

"I was planning to say something, but I just want to see when they will realize it."

"Oh, no no no no! You just love to sit and watch us struggle with it, don't you?"

Caroline gave her daughter the famous half smile.

"Yes. It was fun to watch you and Graham squirmed around each other until he threw caution to the wind and declared his feelings when he thought William was going to do it. You know he never liked William that much back there. I can't believe he fell into William and Angel's trap. Angel and William still make fun of the way he fell apart when William told them he was in love with you and was gonna ask you to be his girlfriend and then propose. You know he thought William was a no good… and you were the younger sister of his best friend and all that. Sometimes I don't understand man."

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"Well, here we are. The stairs."

"Yeah."

The moment was awkward. She looked at him expectantly. He had offered, she had accepted and now what. She knew she could walk it up, but it would take forever because the stairs were really long and curve. However, she didn't have much time to think.

"Ok, let's end the awkwardness."

Angel lifted Buffy in his arms. She tensed up and closed her eyes. His breath was so near her and the only thing she could see in her mind was the moment Xander had done the same thing to carry her to a bedroom so he and his friends could force their away with her. She felt the beginning of panic, but then, out of nowhere, that sensation was changed for the same one she felt when she had touched Angel's hand at first. It calmed her panic down and allowed her to open her eyes and stare at the eyes of the man holding her. His mouth was so near hers that for a moment she just thought how it would be to kiss him.

"Do you want me to put you down?"

"N-o… I am… ok I guess."

Buffy ran her tongue over her lips and inclined her head to rest it on Angel shoulders, mainly because she was too ashamed of her thoughts. Angel would never ever pay that sort of attention to her and she was too damaged to sustain a relationship with a man like him. A man, with needs, needs she was not sure her body could ever fulfill, no matter how much it reacted to him.

Unknown to her, the adorable gesture was enough to make Angel's heartbeat increase. He could feel the pulse in his neck and prayed the woman he was gently carrying couldn't hear it. She weighed too little for his like and he didn't have any trouble to carry Buffy upstairs.

Buffy had dozed off while he carried her, but woke up when he had put her in bed and was covering her with a blanket.

"Hey, sorry I woke you."

"No. That is ok. Thanks."

Angel had yet again to suppress the urge to kiss the vulnerable woman in front of him. He reminded himself he had to give her some not good news, but she seemed too tired for that conversation, which he decided to postpone. Besides, he was her lawyer and it was not appropriate for him to have those thoughts. He was just holding the door handle to go out when he heard her voice.

"It was the day my other best friend was buried."

Angel turned around to see Buffy had sat in the bed. She was playing nervously with her hands. He swallowed when he saw her eyes were full of unshed tears.

"Willow was just so bright. Willow, Xander and I were a great team and… and in a matter of a week all was destroyed. She was…was the smartest, kindest and smartest person I've ever known… and… and she… "

Buffy breathed hard.

"…she took her own life. Her parents found her inside their bathtub with her wrists cut. She… she bleed to death. We still don't know why she did it. She just left a letter to her parents saying she was sorry she was such a disappointment. After… after her burial, Xander and I went to his place to commiserate. We spent so much time there before… well… before Riley and Forest came along. Xander changed so much, but I… I just… I just… could not imagine he would turn into…"

Angel walked the steps needed to her bed and threw caution to the wind. He just gathered her in his arms. He felt relief when she didn't offer any resistance. She just sobbed her heart out for a while with him just caressing her hair. When the tears finally stopped, she started to tell her story again.

"We were just talking and he gave me juice. After just seconds, I felt my body kind of slowing down a little. I asked what… what… was happening and Xander just smiled. He said he had the perfect cure for the pain we were feeling because of Will's death. That was when Riley and Forest appeared. Xander just carried me to a room, put me in a bed and tried to take my clothes. The bastard! He didn't know I had problems with all sort of sedatives."

"But you resisted their actions."

"Yeah. I tried to fight him. I remember that I cried and asked him to stop. I was… was so afraid. He didn't listen to me. They took pictures of me without clothes in the bed first, I heard Riley saying I would be a fine addition. Then, Xander was over… over… me… I hit his face and he kissed me. He said he spent too much time doing…doing himself while thinking of… of having him in me. He said he had lusted after me for so long. He called Forest and he held my arms, while Xander forced…"

Angel felt his body tense up. He wanted to beat the crap out of the coward who had used his friend, a woman who trusted him, in such a horrendous way. He would bring her justice no matter what.

"Shshshs… Buffy, you don't have to tell me anything more."

"I want to! You said you would help me and I know you have to know. I screamed and screamed and screamed. They just laughed. They… they all took… took turns with my body in every way, one, two or even the three of them… they drunk, used drugs, and mocked me while they were… were using me. The bastards used protection. They even called me names. I guess I passed out. When I woke up, I was in Xander's room completely dressed as if nothing had happened, except my whole body ached. I had the full memory of what happened, but I guess he thought I wouldn't remember because he came in and acted as nothing had happened. I was afraid of him; afraid that if he found out I remember much of it he would kill me. I had the cold blood to play along so I could leave the house. I went straight to the police."

Angel squeezed Buffy near his body without even noticing it.

"You did ok. Nobody can tell what a man who did this would have done if he knew you had your memories."

"The rest I guess you know. They found the date rape drug in my blood. They even searched his house, but they couldn't find anything there. It was a scandal among the rich people my parents knew, but they all blamed me at first and when no proof was found my parents thought I was acting out against Xander for some reason. The bastard had the courage to tell my parents I was in love with him, but he didn't want me and that was why I was probably blaming him for the rape… as if a sane girl would go around to be raped so she'd accuse someone else. My parents expelled me and disowned me."

"Buffy. I can guarantee that I am going to put these men behind bars."

"You can't… can't promise this. I tried and I was just ridicularized."

"I can. I got some things from what you said. One of them told you would be a fine addition, is it correct?"

"Yes."

"Did he say addiction to what?"

"No."

"Buffy, when a woman is subjected to abuse by many men, they usually are gangs and they sometimes take pictures and film their own action so they can talk about their… their performances or have it as a trophy or something. So, these pictures of yours may be somewhere."

Buffy shuddered violently against Angel's body.

"Are you telling me that they watch what they do?"

"I'm sorry to say this, but yes."

"But they searched his house, his whole house and didn't find anything. The same went for Riley and Forest."

"They wouldn't keep it at an easy eye, would they? If everything happened in your friend's room…"

Buffy frowned when she realized something.

"No. It didn't."

"What?"

Angel held Buffy by the shoulders and looked at her eyes.

"It didn't happen in Xander's room. I knew his house as good as mine because we used to play around when we were kids. I know that I was never in the room where..."

"Are you telling me it happened in a place in the house you didn't know?"

"Yes."

"Maybe a secret room?"

"Angel, aren't you watching too much movies? Why would Xander have a secret room? I've never heard of it."

"You said he changed under the influence of his new friends. Who knows? Buffy, a secret room would be ideal to be used in such a purpose and nobody would at first think of one."

In an impulse, Angel kissed Buffy's forehead and helped her to lay down when he saw her heavy eyelids.

"Thank you for telling me this."

"You really think this can be solved."

"Yes."

Angel had all the leads he needed for now and a plan had just formed in his head.

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**Yay! Second degree contact!**

**Wow! Another huge chapter. I am working in a new chapter, which should be posted by Tuesday. I must say there is really big shocking news coming for Buffy. Bad or good? You will have to wait. Just keep in mind the title of this fic.**


	9. Parents

**I want to thank all of you for reviews and the wonderful support. **

**Here it is! A new chapter ****as I promised. The last one was kind of hard, but this one has a really good ending... or not? Enjoy!**

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Angel closed the door behind him and walked to the stairs with his head down. When he reached the top of the stairs, he decided to sit in the first step to think things through. Beside, he was sure he was wearing a murderous face and he didn't want his mother and sister to see how upset he was. They would want to know what happened and he could not tell them what he heard even if he wanted to. He was sure if he did so, he would get in his car, find the men who did those things with the little blonde sleeping in the guestroom and beat the crap out of them, what would be improper for her lawyer to do.

He was upset as he has never been before. His chest was bubbling with fury. That was the only way he could put it. How a man could do that to a woman, any woman, was just hard for him to accept, but if the said woman was a friend, it was really worst. For some reason, it was even worse to think that Buffy had to go through all of that. From what he saw before, when she was still in the hospital, the way she insisted she could take of herself, the way she had wanted to leave because she couldn't pay, the way she confronted him the moment she left the hospital. He had the distinct sensation she was a free spirit like wild horses. It pained him to think that such a creature was crunched under so much pain. He looked around and realized he was blessed to have a great family, being loved and all that Buffy probably never had. Again, he had the sensation that if her parents were able to do what they did, she must not have been that important to them, what made him think her life in her own house was not that good.

Angel sighed and looked to his hand, realizing he was keeping it closed so tight its knuckles were white. He breathed hard so to give oxygen to his brain and started to think, leaving the anger fade away. He had a good lead now and his instincts were telling him he was right into following what he knew. The first thing he had to do was officially open Buffy's case. He knew word would spread like fire with the fact he was famous for never losing a case. He would like to see the smirk disappearing from the faces of the men he saw in the pictures in Buffy's files when they discovered whom they were to deal with. That brought a smile to his face. It was time to act.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel came back to the back of his mother's house garden to find her cooing at his niece. He leaned in to kiss her face, while Drusilla peered curiously at him.

"Hey, bro. We thought you would stay upstairs."

Angel sighed unhappily.

"We talked. Buffy is sleeping now."

"Hey, why so serious?"

Angel sighed again. Sometimes it was not fun to have a sister who could read people.

"Nothing. Buffy and I talked. I am going back to my office to prepare her files."

"She told you about it, didn't she?"

"You know. Sometimes you are a pest, Dru."

Dru smiled at his brother. He had smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. She could see he was upset and that was probably because he heard a lot more than he was prepared to, mainly if he cared for the girl the way everyone was seeing.

"Yeah. And I'll put those bastards in jail for what they did to her. Buffy gave me some leads and I'll be able to reopen her case."

"Then, I know she will have justice."

"Thanks mom. Bye"

Angel kissed Anne's head, grabbed his suit, the car keys, turned around and left, never realizing the way his mother looked at him, between amused and curious.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel arrived at his office with the case worked up in his head. However, his worries turned to Faith when the door of the elevator opened in his floor and he saw Faith being carried by William.

"Hey, what is happening Spike?"

"It is nothing Angel. My husband is just a pain in the ass. He just wants me to stay at home like a porcelain doll."

William, who was popularly known as Spike, gave him an amused grin.

"Well. My wife passed out in the bathroom. I told her she should not overstress herself because of the baby, but you know how she is."

"Is she… did you say baby?"

Spike gave Angel a big smile.

"Oh man. Congratulations!"

Spike and Angel held hands and hugged, while an exasperated Faith looked from one man to the other.

"Hey, Faith. Congratulations! Shouldn't you be…?"

"No! No! No! Not you too. I am not staying at home. I am perfectly normal. Women get pregnant all around the world and they… work!"

"Don't bother, mate. This is my stubborn wife."

Spike got down on his knees and grabbed Faith's hands to kiss it. Angel smiled at the public display of affection because he was really happy for the couple. Faith and Spike had come a long way to be together and they deserved it. Out of nowhere, something akin to envy stirred within his chest. He wanted something like that for himself too. Then, yet again out of nowhere, he saw himself doing the same thing to Buffy. He pictured her grown belly heavy with their firstborn. Without realizing it, Angel scrunched his forehead and shook his head to clean the unwanted thought.

"Hey, big guy… what is happening?"

"I was just thinking of Buffy."

"WHAT?"

Spike was grinning broadly at his fried. He knew too things about him. He was definitively interested in the blonde girl Spike had yet to meet… and he didn't see any of that. The man was a damn moron sometimes. Angel stared from Faith to Spike without realizing the other meaning his words could be taken.

"What?"

"It is nothing, Angel."

Faith realized Spike was going to say something and pinched him.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Ok! You too can play as much as you want. Faith, can you call Judge Keller's office? I'll prepare the files to reopen Buffy's case and Judge Keller is the one I need for what I have in mind."

Spike entered his lawyer mode. He had seen that face before enough to know the other man had found a lead to follow. He always did.

"And that would be?"

"Buffy and I talked today. She said that Xander's room was not the one where… well, everything happened. Also, there may be pictures of the whole thing."

"WHAT?"

Faith squeezed her husband's hand at the new detail of what happened to the girl she knew just two days before. Things can always get worst.

"Yeah. That was pretty much my reaction too. I need a search order for the houses of her assailants because I think there is a room somewhere that escaped the first ride. I bet my diploma this room is the key for a great turn in this case. My aim is to get Harris, her friend, but I cannot take risks. If things were in the houses, I want them to be found all at the same time. If the houses were searched separately, they may be alerted and disappear with the proofs. "

Angel congratulated his friends again and entered his office.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"Hey, Xan men!"

"Hey, Riley."

Xander was in front of Riley parent's mansion and was wearing a not so happy face. His Porsche was stopped in the front yard.

"Xander, man, we have to throw a party. I am restless."

"Yeah, maybe we'll do it, but right now we have to lay low for a while."

"Why? What is up?"

"It's Buffy."

"What about that bitch? She was finished after we won the case. She can't do anything."

"Well. Holland called. He said he heard a lawyer called Angel seems interested in her case. "

"So what? He can be as interested as he wants, there is nothing there. I bet he wants to screw the blonde too."

"Maybe, but Holland said the man is a beast in the court. He never lost a case."

"Shear up, man! There is a first for everything. We don't even know if this lawyer will really do something. Besides, the case was closed. What can he do? Now, come on! Josh said they received a new deal yesterday."

"Really? That is cool. Mine is ending."

"Yep. He said it has a great quality, although it is a little more expensive. Nothing we can't afford."

"Come on. Let's go. You are right. This bastard of a lawyer can't do anything."

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

"Angel?"

Angel looked from the papers he was reading and his notes when he heard Faith's voice in the intercom on his desk.

"Hey, Faith. Didn't I tell…"

"… that you didn't want to be called unless there was an emergency."

Faith's voice was serious and that picked Angel attention because when that happened some bad news just followed.

"Yes."

"Well, there is one here."

"What is it? Is it Buffy?"

"Yes and no."

"Faith."

"There is a couple here. They want to talk to you."

"Faith, I don't have time to…"

"It is about Buffy."

Angel felt like someone had punched him straight in the chest. What was now going to happen to his blonde? No, not his blonde. He asked himself from where those thoughts were coming. First, earlier while he was with Spike and Faith, and now this. He needed a girlfriend.

"Is it really serious?"

"Yes."

"Ok, Faith. Bring them in."

Angel stood up from his chair to grant the couple. The woman was an older version of Buffy, with the same hair and eye color. The man was wearing glasses. Both of them looked the parental type. The woman was holding a newspaper cover.

"Hello."

"Hi. My name is Joyce Summers and this is my husband Giles."

"Nice to meet you."

Angel offered his hand to the couple and showed the couch where they could sit.

"We don't want to take much of your time. We just want to know if you know where this girl is."

"That depends. What do you want with her?"

Joyce looked to her husband unable of speaking because of a sudden hush of emotion. Giles was the one to voice their question.

"We want to talk with her because we think she is our daughter."

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**Yay! ****I know... a cliffhanger! I am bad… eheheheheheh.**

**I hope you like this new turn in the story. Everything will be explained in the next chapters. So, stay tuned.**

**Angel is ****still hiding from his feelings, but he will find them out soon. In addition, the story is now moving towards our assailants. Don't fear. They will be dealt with.  
**


	10. Tell Tale

**Sorry for the long delay, but I broke my arm and was ****not able to use only one hand. So, in my convalescent period, I could just read , but was not allowed to tip very efficiently. Finally, I was released so I will update all of my fics along the weekend, which is a big holiday here in Brazil.**

**So, here it is. A new chapter for LFM!**

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_"We want to talk with her because we think she is our daughter."_

It took Angel a moment to realize fully what the man in front of him said. He blinked two times before he could emit any word.

"You… you are her adoptive parents?"

What a stupid question, he knew they could not Buffy's adoptive parents because he had seen pictures of them.

"No. We think we are her biological parents."

"W-w-what?"

"Yes. Look, we just need to contact her. It is important."

Angel felt his chest contract. These were the people who abandoned their child to be raised by equally cold parents. His anger boiled and he had to control his urges to just throw the couple out of his office.

"Why would you want to talk to her now?"

Angel's voice was harsher then he intended it to be.

"Look. I know what you are probably thinking, but it is not like that."

"It is like that for me. I've know this girl for twenty days and she is living a very difficult moment. I don't intend to imprint on her this right now. I am not telling you were she is and you can go."

Angel got out of his chair to show the couple to the door when he heard the woman's voice.

"She was stolen from us."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel turned around to look at the couple. Joyce was crying and he could see Giles had his eyes full of unshed tears. He was going to say something when the woman spoke again.

"Look. We know that you are probably a much occupied lawyer. We just want some information on the girl so we can talk with her."

Angel breathed hard and came back to his chair where he sat and looked the couple.

"Look, Mrs…"

"Joyce, just Joyce."

"Joyce. I know where the girl you are looking for is. She is under my protection. So, if you want to see her then you will have to tell your history first so I can give the full history to her. If she decides to know you or something, I'll contact you."

Joyce stared contemplatively at Angel. He seemed a nice young man and clearly had the best interest of her daughter in mind… and was clearly smitten with the girl. He was acting too much protective, but not only that. For some reason, his voice assumed a different tone when he spoke of her. Like she was his family, wife, lover and he wanted to shelter her of any problem. Joyce looked at Giles, smiled, squeezed his hand he turned to Angel.

"Here. Look at this."

Giles handed Angel a picture. It was Buffy. Angel looked back and forth from the picture to the couple in front of him.

"You said you didn't know where Buffy is and…"

"Buffy. Is that her name?"

Joyce asked softly, tasting the name. It sounded different, but she liked it. She smiled at Giles before clarifying the situation.

"This is my mother. Isn't she and this woman in the newspaper a carbon copy of each other."

Angel took a moment to register fully what had been said to him and, when he did, the reminded himself he should act professional and he turned to the couple in front of him.

"Their resemblance is uncanny. Can you tell me the whole history?"

Giles cleared his throat.

"There isn't much to tell. Twenty two years ago my wife gave birth to our first daughter. While I was out, a nurse came in with our baby girl so she'd be feed. Another nurse came in, took the baby saying she was to take her back to the nursery and she just… she just disappeared. When a nurse came in to ask for the baby, Joyce told her the baby was already taken. After a while, a doctor and the chief of the nursery came in to tell the baby was not anywhere…"

Giles cleared his throat and looked at Joyce, who was valiantly trying to repress the tears from fallen. Angel looked at the picture and the newspaper to give the couple a moment to recompose.

"What happened after it?"

"The hospital and the police did everything, but couldn't find her. Well, they didn't have the same technology, with cameras and all that security, back there. So, someone took our baby girl and disappeared. We have a daughter and a son after it, but we never ever lost faith we would find her one day. Last Sunday, I went to a small store near my house to buy some cheese and caught the newspaper lying around… with the girl on the cover. I just brought it back home… and here we are. We… we just want to talk to this girl."

"I am really sorry for your loss. I can't take any decision without consulting her because she is still recovering from the whole ordeal in the bank. Some bad things happened to her as of later too. But, I am sure that she will be willing to talk to you."

Joyce and Giles exchanged a hopeful look and she squeezed his hand again.

"That is just what we hope."

"Can you give me a number where I can contact you?"

"Yeah. Can you give a piece of paper?"

Angel gave him his agenda. Giles wrote his house number and address in the back cover.

"Call us anytime you want."

Giles and Joyce stood up.

"I guess it is our time to go. We will be waiting for a phone call when you have anything to tell us."

"All talk with her today."

Joyce held Angel's hand between hers.

"Thank you. I am really glad she found someone to look after her right now. You seem a good man."

Angel blushed and looked embarrassed, and Joyce released his hand.

"Thank you."

The couple turned to leave, but Giles looked at Angel.

"We have every intention to talk to this girl a way or another. I really hope you can help us… or stay out of our way."

"Giles!"

"No, that's ok, madam. Look Mr. Giles, I have the best interest of this girl in mind. I am actually her lawyer. I promised you that I will help, but I can't force her to do anything. As I told you before, I really think she will like to know her parents are around. I won't stand on the way of you meet each other, be sure of that."

Both held each other gaze for a moment, but Giles back out realizing he was in the office of a lawyer.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"Hey, mom!"

Angel drove from his office at Wolfram & Hart to his mother house, where he found her in the kitchen.

"Hey, sweet. What happened?"

Angel sat in a chair around the table and Caroline leaned to kiss his forehead. He was wearing a worried expression.

"How do you know something happened?"

"Well. It is been… never that you came here twice the same day since you moved out. Also… you are wearing a worried expression. Something wrong with your job."

"No. Actually it is ok. I got a search order for Buffy's case."

"Then what is wrong?"

Angel sighed. He knew his mother would pry until she knew what was happening.

"Actually, I have some news to give to Buffy. Do you know if she is in her bedroom?"

"No. She is in the TV room. She was feeling better and came down to make me company and watch _Passions_. What is it?"

"Well. First, she doesn't have a place to live anymore."

"That is not a problem. She can stay here as much as she wants. I do not mind. It is good to have her around. What more?"

"I… I had a visit today in my office and it concerns Buffy. I just do not know how to tell her what I discovered."

"That bad?"

"Actually, I do not think so, but I don't know if she can handle it. I mean… she has been through a lot lately and more is coming from tomorrow on, but I don't know if I should tell her right now."

"Well. If you think it is not bad then you should tell her. As for her handling things right now, you can't tell. I know that you want to protect the girl… for some reason… but you can't protect her of everything. If it is something good maybe it will cheer her up and…"

"Her biological parents want to see her."

Caroline got a stunned look and sat in the chair in the other side of the table to look at Angel.

"Dear good!"

"Yeah."

"What did they want after so much time?"

"Long history short: they think Buffy is their stolen baby."

"Oh my!"

Angel gave the lopsided smile to his mother. Caroline touched her son's hand across the table and squeezed it.

"I think you should tell her."

"You think."

"Yes."

"But…"

"No buts, Angel. She has the right to know they are trying to contact her. It is her life and you can't decide things for her. Actually, you can't."

"I know."

"You really care for her, huh?"

"Yeah. It is… I can't explain. I just don't want anything more happening to that girl."

Caroline smiled. If Angel could see his own face. He was really worried about Buffy and in his full protective mode. She worried because she didn't want to see her son suffering. Buffy was a remarkably strong young woman, but she carried a huge emotional baggage and she just didn't know if she could deal with it and try to make her son happy. She sighed. Maybe she should worry when both of the said two young people realized their feelings for each other.

"She is alone in the room. Maybe you should use this moment to get over with everything."

Angel got up and went to the TV room.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel found Buffy sat in the couch watching some cartoon. She was wearing a small smile. He smiled too, but it became a frown when the realized he thought she was beautiful like that and she should smile more. He couldn't think like that of a client.

"Hey."

Buffy turned her gaze to Angel, who was standing in the door frame, and granted him with a smile.

"Hey."

"How was your afternoon?"

Angel entered the room and sat in the opposite side of the couch.

"It was ok. I woke feeling a lot better and came downstairs. I don't think you will have to carry me upstairs anymore."

"No? That's a shame."

Angel had to suppress the urge to hit his own forehead. What an inopportune thing to say.

"I… I am happy you are in full recovery mode."

"Thanks. I'll have to care of my life and probably found a new place to live."

"Yeah. That is something I want to talk to you. When I went to pick your things, your old place was rent to another person, but I see you imagined it already."

Buffy turned her face to the TV. She thought of it, but for some reason it stung to know it was in fact true. She cleared her throat to keep the tears at bay. To cry wouldn't solve anything.

"I have some news to tell you too."

"Yeah."

"I got a search order against the men that assaulted you. You better be ready for some turmoil ahead."

Buffy felt her body go cold knowing the full implications of what he said, but she smiled at him. She was scared, but she would face what was to come just like she did before. She didn't have anyone to help her before, but since she had known the man in the other side of the couch she sat, she felt stronger every passing day. He was a good lawyer and she knew she had a chance. She knew she would win. She got stunned for a moment when she fully realized she trusted him. He was a man, but she trusted him.

"Hey… turmoil girl here! I can deal."

Angel smiled.

"So, what more?"

"How do you know there is more?"

"You said news… in plural, so… there is more than one."

He smiled again and ran his hand through his hair.

"I had a visit today in my office and it concerns you."

"Me. Who would go to you wanting anything with me? I mean nobody knows where I am. As much as I know, my old friends were not those friends. They all deserted me when the shit hit the fan…"

Angel interrupted Buffy's babbling.

"It was your parents."

"My parents. What did they want with you?"

"Buffy… I am not talking about your adoptive parents. The people I saw today, and I have strong reasons to believe they were not lying, claimed to be your parents… your biological parents"

Buffy's heart race raced faster with every word coming out of Angel's mouth. She just looked at Angel what her mouth hanging open.

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**AN.: So, I came back. I hope this chapter makes up for the time I spent away****.**


	11. Recon Mission

**Hi to everyone! Longtime… no see! I know. I told you I broke an arm and when I got ok I have to go back to work. There was a loooooot of things to do and I couldn't sit down to right this chapter sooner. But no fear… here it is.**

**Have fun!**

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Buffy just looked at Angel… for a long moment. Then, she opened her mouth and closed it and opened it again. Angel had to suppress an amused grin when she shook her head to make her mind work properly again. Finally, she spoke.

"Huh?"

Buffy was wearing a completely chocked face.

"Did you say…? Have I heard…? I mean… my biological parents?"

"Yes."

Buffy's heart squeezed and her eyes welled up. She had never thought she would know of these peoples. After Dawn's arrival and the change in her adoptive parents' behavior towards her, she often found herself daydreaming of her them. How they were? Where did they live? Did she have a sister or brother? Why did they abandon her? Was she so unlovable that her own parents didn't want her?

Angel could not avoid giving some sort of comfort to the small woman beside him even if this life depended on it. He approached Buffy and just held her hand, which he squeezed gently.

"But, but… what do they want with me now?"

As soon as the tears came, she repressed them… and anger took over. Who they thought they were? She was not going to cry for people who haven't wanted her. Before Angel could give her an answer, Buffy got up of the couch.

"I don't want to know."

Buffy didn't give two steps towards the door when Angel made his announcement.

"They think you are their stolen daughter."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Buffy froze in place and hang her head lower. When all of his words made complete sense, she started to tremble and the tears came again. She was so tired. The last months had been the worst of her life, but since Angel and his family entered her life she felt like everything was going to be ok. Could this be the first ok thing in her life from now on? For a moment, she allowed herself to hope because these people were trying to find her; these people didn't abandon their baby girl. She was wanted.

Then, the rational part of her, the one who usually protected the side of her able to feel, love and be hurt, reminded her there was no confirmation these people could be her parents.

Buffy was so caught in her pain, loneliness and silent tears that she didn't realize Angel had turned her around and enveloped her in his arms. Then, she heard it. His heart beat against her hand. It is calming for some reason. She instinctively snuggled against the soft fabric of his suit and a strong sense of safety spread in her shocked and turned off mind.

Angel held Buffy against his chest while she silently shook and cried against him. Before, he could even realize what he was doing he lifted her up and walked back to the couch, where he sat and put he in his lap. Buffy just snuggled close to him with her face still hide in his chest and stayed like this for several minutes. He didn't mind.

And also, didn't realize his mother was at the door appreciating the lovely scene.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

When Buffy calmed down enough, she pulled back and looked at Angel. He gave her a small smile, although when he looked at her red and puffy face from crying, he had the strongest urge to just kiss her senseless, what he couldn't do to a client. What were those thoughts coming from? He needed to find a girlfriend.

His mind immediately rejected the idea of him and any other woman. Bad Angel. Bad Angel.

"Sorry."

"No. That is… that is ok."

"How did these people find you?"

"They saw a picture of you with me in one newspaper. You know… the famous lawyer and all that. So, they came to me."

"What happened to their daughter?"

"They told me she was stolen from them in the hospital."

Buffy gasped when she realized the baby girl, who could be her, was taken from her mother and father just after being born. Neither of them realized the intimacy of their position with Angel gently caressing her arms while she was running her finger in the lapel of his suit.

"Why me? I mean… why would they think… the mother held her little girl just for what… a day or less? How could they be so sure?"

"Well. I'd be."

"You would."

"Yes. She is just an older version of you. She also showed me a picture of her mother. You are a carbon copy of her. Do you… do you want to know them?"

Buffy head shot up. Fear was written all over it.

"I don't know. Did… do they want to meet me?"

"Yes. They menaced to find you with or without my help anyway."

"I don't know. I… I mean. Maybe I am not their daughter, Angel. I don't know if I can deal with another… dream… that won't come true."

"This can be solved with DNA testing."

Buffy frowned and bit her lower lip. Angel felt yet again another violent wave of lust for her lips. Oblivious to the reactions she was causing in the male she was sitting in, she was thinking of meeting these people. She wanted to meet them, but her practical side knew it was no good if they weren't really her parents. It was a pain she was putting herself up to.

"Can I do this testing without knowing them? I mean… we could go, do the tests and only meet if our parentage were confirmed. So, if… if they are not my parents, I and they can go on without having known them."

"Ok."

Angel kissed Buffy's head. After a while, she had fallen sleep. After all, it seemed he was going to care her back to her bedroom.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel gently laid Buffy on the bed and covered her. After verifying her pills and water were around, he turned to leave the room. When he reached the door handle, he had the strongest urge to turn around to look at woman in the bed. He thought he couldn't understand his feelings towards her. She was beautiful, yes she was, but it was her strong spirit which called for his attention. She had endured a lot in the last six months. Betrayed by a friend, the death of another one, her parents' abandonment, being ridiculed in court and out of it, being shot, losing her place to live and her job, and a lot more was coming when the things with her assailants worked up. She had told him she was planning to start over somewhere else, which made his stomach do ridiculous somersaults and his heart constrict in something akin to pain. It just showed how much stubborn she was, how much she wanted to have a normal life, a good life. It was almost as if she was telling Fate she could throw anything at her that she would deal with it, but mainly she was not going to give up that normal and happy life. That strong spirit was what made him ache to protect her. That strong spirit was what attracted him the most. It was what he loved.

When the words attraction and love flashed in his mind, Angel's eyes got wide and he bolted from the room like he had seen the devil himself. He closed the door behind him, propped himself against it and breathed hard. Then, he distractedly walked to the kitchen in his mother house. He was so shocked with his discovered that he didn't recognize his mother's presence.

Angel just sat in a chair. He finally realized consciously what he was feeling. It could not be. How could he fall in love with his client? Faith was just like her, why hadn't he fallen for the brunette instead when they knew each other? What did Buffy had that called so strongly to him?

Angel put his head in his hand and a thought of another blonde occurred. Cordelia was his girlfriend and another junior lawyer at Wolfram & Hart just like him. She was sensual, flirtatious, and hot in bed. He thought he loved her, although today he doubted it. He bought a ring and was going to propose to her during the end of year's party on the main salon of Wolfram & Hart. They went together to the party, but they got separated. When he finally caught her, she was in one of the offices screwing Mr. Hart, the fifty five years old son of Mr. and Mrs. Wolfram. An argument happened and he discovered they were together behind his back and the other man's wife for over a year. Angel discovered George Hart had ended his marriage of thirty years to marry Cordelia, who was wearing a big diamond ring. Cordelia showed her true face and said that she would have made everything for him to marry her to add his money to hers and he was going to be a really good trophy, but when George showed his interest she shifted in favor of the old, much more rich, man because "she wanted big fishes in the sea". George seemed to be ok with it because he said he was man enough to provide "his delicious blonde" what she wanted.

However, the divorce and family scandal didn't sit well with Mr. Wolfram. George Hart was forced to go to the Italian branch of the firm taking Cordelia with him, while Gabriel Hart assumed the presidency of the firm.

"So, did you figure it out?"

"Figure out what?"

"Buffy."

Caroline gave her son one of her pointed looks and he realized she knew his feelings. Mom knows better.

"You knew?"

"Well, you didn't hide it very well."

"What? How…?"

"At first I thought it was because of the whole being shot, but then I realized you were being too, and I mean _too_, overprotective of the girl. Your anguished look that first night when Buffy thought you brought her here with not so good intentions. That is a dead giveaway, son. Thinking of it… even you should have seen it first. Well, Drusilla saw it too as well as Spike and Faith.

"What? Everyone knew but me?"

Caroline gave him a bright smile.

"Pretty much. We just agreed that would be better if you find out by yourself. There is a bet going on about how much time you would get to realize it?"

Caroline grinned amused at her son.

"What?"

Angel gave his mother an offended look.

"Faith told me that if you didn't see it soon, Spike would throw it at your face. I mean you gave him the hard time when he got interested in Faith with the whole "she was a client". You are so dense sometimes. How are you?"

"Shocked. I never thought… after…"

Angel gave his mother a half smile and Caroline smiled back. She sat in a chair in the other side of the table and grabbed his hand.

"Angel. I know you were hurt pretty badly because of what Cordelia did, but that was never a real reason for you to just close up your heart. You are a good man and I was always sure there was a real good lady somewhere that would be just perfect for you."

"That is a little biased?"

"What? I am your mother. I'll always be biased."

Caroline winked at her son and caressed his hair.

"But you never liked any of the girls I dated after Cordelia."

"No. I didn't. I am sorry Angel, but I am your mother and I want what is best for you… which excludes seeing you with some bimbo that only cares about the size of her breast or her Prada boot or bag. I wanted a real girl for you. One such as Faith or even Buffy, who I don't know much really, but I have a feeling she is a real person with a good heart."

"I love you mom."

"I love you too. So, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Buffy is my client. I can't get involved with her. I knew her just today practically… I can't be… I can't have…"

"Fallen in love?"

Angel gave a funny look to his mother.

"Remember me and your father? Well, what you do with it is up for you. That girl is not going to wait around."

Caroline caressed Angel's hair for the last time and left the kitchen. If she had looked at him, she would have seen his face darken with the thought of Buffy with somebody else. Angel was pulled of his thoughts by his cell phone ringing.

"Angel. This is Kate."

"Hey. Kate. Give me good news."

"We are going to their house. Want to tag along?"

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**AN.: Ok. I know I promise to update soon and never do it. I finally put my work together and can write more often, but I won't promise again. However, I can say that next chapter, Mr. Lavelle and his friends will have a really good surprise. **


	12. Mission Possible

**!**

**Here I am again. I must be the most unlucky person in the last few days. I had this chapter almost ready, when my computer crashed on me. I had to buy a new one, install everything and then find a way to transfer things from my old hard drive to the new one. Fortunately, the problem was with my old computer's motherboard so I didn't lose anything.**

**Here it goes!**

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Buffy had woken up in her bed after a short nap fulfilled with nightmares. Knowing she wouldn't sleep again, she got up and went back to the TV room. When Caroline arrived in the TV room, she found Buffy sat in one extremity of the couch, with her head over the arm.

"Are you ok?"

Buffy jumped startled.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you. Do you want to talk?"

"Angel told you, didn't he?"

"Yes. He did. He didn't know the best thing to do right now was. I guess he wanted to protect you from more disappointments right now. I told him it was your choice to make."

Caroline sat opposite to Buffy. Buffy was clearly improving, with color returning to her cheeks and no dark circles under her eyes. She was eating too. Caroline knew that one or two weeks of health food, some sun exposition and no stress would do wonders for the young woman.

"Did you ever like one of your children better than the other?"

Caroline gave Buffy a piercing look. She knew the girl was trying to sum it up how it was to have a proper mother.

"No. I know that people usually think that when a mother says she doesn't like one of her children better than the others, she is lying. It may be so, but not with me. I believe that if someone is able to choose a son or daughter, this person is just taking the value of their other children. Even if I try I can't really. I guess my heart can't choose because my two children are two valuable people."

Buffy stayed silent for a moment, but when she spoke again her voice quivered.

"Would you value a child that was not yours?"

"The same I told about my biological children would apply to an adopted one, Buffy. I believe that when someone decides to adopt a child, this person has so much love to give and a really generous heart. This person just look at the kid and that is it you know. It is love at first sight… and it is a lot stronger than romantic love at first sight. The kid just takes your heart and that is it. Believe me. Not every person who can't have children and then adopt one will turn against their adopted children if a biological one arrives. If a biological child arrives that is just more love at first sight."

Caroline gave Buffy a sincere smile.

"Then I guess my adoptive parents are nothing like you. My mother just mistreated me after my sister, her… biological daughter, was born. They saw me as a burden that they had to carry after the precious girl was born. I guess my mother felt inadequate because she could not perform like any other high society bitch… sorry… and have children so some nanny could take care of them while she was in Aspen or something. Then, I guess she felt inadequate when she adopted me because then she was not like most of her high society rich friends and gave birth to her own child. I was not needed when Dawn was born."

"You don't like your sister, I guess?"

"No. She was as bad as them and mistreated me too. Usually she would say that I should not be there taking part of what was hers. She even had a temper tantrum once because she wanted me out of the house. My mother said to her eleven years old wonderful baby girl that she couldn't do it because it would not be good for their image among their rich friends to just throw me out. I guess they really waited for an opportunity. When… when everything happened, they believed what… what Xander told them. My mother said that I had it coming to me because that is what women who whore around get. She mocked me because she believed I didn't even know who did it and was accusing a good… rich… friend. They… they threw out with almost nothing."

Buffy cleaned her face in one sleeve and continued her tale.

"None of the girls, rich snob girls I thought were my friends helped me. I had some money in my bank account, wish helped for a while, but I had to drop university and find a job."

Caroline felt so bad for the young woman crying in the other side of the couch. Nobody should go to such a thing.

"I'm sorry."

"T-t-thanks. What… what do you think I should do?"

"About your new set of parents?"

Buffy just shook her head affirmatively. Her throat was just closed with her emotions. Grief was pouring out of her so strongly that she believed everyone could feel her sadness.

"What have you decided?"

"I told Angel that I wanted to do the DNA thing and only after its result I'd want to see them."

"It's understandable. Buffy, if it turn out they are your parents give them a chance. These people didn't forget you after more than twenty years. It is clear they love…"

"Would they love me?"

The question startled Caroline a little.

"They don't know anything about me. What happened to me? Would they want a daughter with my past?"

"You know. I don't know these people yet, but if someone took my child and I found her twenty plus years later, it wouldn't be what three rich bastards, who should be in jail for what they did, that would keep me from having her back in my life."

Caroline got up, patted Buffy's shoulder and left the girl to think again.

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Xander was coming out of the bathroom in his room after using heroin when the telephone in his room hung.

"Mr. Harris."

It was the main chef of the security in the property.

"Yeah, Larry."

"There are… there are some cops here…"

"WHAT?"

"Sir, we have…"

"I heard you the first time. What they want?"

" They have a search order."

"Damn!"

Xander started to pass around his big room in panic. What could these cops want again? Surely it was the damn lawyer that Holland had told them about. What to do? He knew he couldn't avoid the cops coming in the property because they had a search order. He would call Holland.

"Yeah, that is it! I'll call Holland. Larry, it is ok. The cops can come in. There is nothing to fear."

But he was afraid. What could the bitch have said for the police to come knocking at his door again? He knew she had had a good deal of memories of their night, but that was six months before. Who would be crazy enough to give credit to her story anyway? People are so deeply stupid. Sometimes they hear the truth and don't believe at all. Well. That happened six months before and will happen again.

He had pinned for Buffy's attention since their childhood, but she never treated him different of a friend, just like Willow. It had been Riley and Forest good influence, and some cocaine, to give him the guts to ask girls out. He was rich, wasn't he? Why not enjoy it doing what pleased him the most? Then, one night Riley and Forest had suggested something when they caught him and Joanice at rough sex in his bathroom. They drugged her and had fun that night. Xander found it really freeing because the girls didn't offer many resistance to what he wished to do while they were drugged.

Then Willow died and he had his chance with Buffy. He was delighted to find he was her first. Now, he would just humiliate her a lot more. They were not able to find any proof of her claims months ago when everything was fresh and they wouldn't find anything now.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Xander descended the stairs slowly looking amicable to the cops in his door. There was a blonde woman who would be a fine addition to his collection. When he checked Kate head to toe, he looked at the man beside him. And gave a step back.

The man was a lot higher than him. He had spiked hair and was well built, but it was his eyes who called for attention. They were murderous. It was clear the tall man didn't like the lustful checking Xander did of the blonde cop, but his anger was a lot more of something else. Xander realized that he may be in trouble. It would be better if Holland arrived soon.

"Mr. Harris. My name is Kate and we have a search order for your house."

"Why is that?"

Angel step in and gave Xander his business card.

"My client, Buffy Summers, is opening her case against you and your friends."

"Again?"

Xander gave them his best surprised look.

"That case was closed almost a month ago. No proof of her claims was found. Why are you still invading my privacy with that colorful history cooked up by a vengeful woman who didn't get into my pants?"

"Mr. Harris. We have a search order. You can let us in gracefully since you are innocent so nothing will be found or we can use force, what would say you have something to hide."

Xander looked at Angel and Kate and got out of the way.

"By no means. Feel free to run around. My lawyer will be here in a minute anyway… and Mr. O'Connor."

Angel turned around to look at Xander.

"Tell Buffy… the whore… that she will be hearing of my lawyers. She will sink even lower because of her calumnies."

Kate had to hold Angel's arm when he made a move to advance on the disgusting man in front of her. It was not difficult to see the scumbag really assaulted the woman.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Xander sat in the main room with his legs propped in one coffee table. Holland had arrived and was accompanying the house search.

"Well, Mr. O'Connor. I guess your search didn't reveal anything against my client so far. Why don't you drop this and go home. That client of yours is a lot of trouble I must say."

Xander looked at both lawyers with no interest. He wanted them to get out of his house so he'd have a go with his new batch of cocaine. He realized that Holland was satisfied, maybe because he was afraid of confronting the other lawyer, which would not happen because they wouldn't find anything.

"It didn't end, Mr. Lestrange. The basement was not searched yet."

Angel said that looking at Xander to see if the scumbag would give away anything. And so he did. His eyes dilated just a little and his face got a serious and frightened expression just for a second. It would have been imperceptible to most people, but thanks to his observational way of human nature, Angel saw the man tensed up. The basement it is.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

The basement of the house had his walls covered with small wood tiles. Angel had a sinking feeling when he saw that. Maybe Buffy had been brought here and in her dazed state had confounded the place with a new one.

The search in the basement proceeded, but nothing was found. Xander gave Angel a smug smile and Angel felt bad because he knew the man did it. It was written all over his smug expression.

"So, Mr. O'Connor. Nothing again? I told you so. My lawyer told you so. Should I say it is time for you to leave my house?"

Angel ran his hand through his hair and gave one last look at the walls. Buffy was sure the room was a new one, but they had searched the whole house and nothing was found. If such a room existed it would have to be hidden somewhere. And the best place was this basement. Angel had seen too much cop shows and one idea popped up of nowhere when he looked at the walls attentively. Could it be?

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Xander's voice was panicked. That was the best way Angel could describe it when he approached one of the walls.

"Worried, Mr. Harris?"

Angel raised his closed hand and knocked at the wood. He knocked the wood again and Kate understood what he was doing. She ordered the cops to knock all the wall extension. Then, when she knocked in one section of the wall, the sound was different. Hollow like there was no wall behind the tiles.

"Angel! I think I found something. Knock here."

Angel jumped from the place he was and knocked the wood wall. The same hollow sound was heard. He knocked up and down that part of the wall and the sound was repeated. He proceeded to do the same from left to right until the sound changed again. When he found it, he saw it changed exactly between two tiles. He put his hand there and could feel a small current of air. Angel gave three steps back and kicked the wall. It cracked.

"Kate, I guess we found our door."

Xander tried to flee the room.

"Oh no, you don't! Casey, hold him."

The cop near Xander held the panicked man.

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It took them almost thirty minutes to put the door down because it didn't have any handle. When they entered the room Angel saw the door probably moved to the front with a remote control. He heard Kate gasp and looked up.

The walls were covered with pictures of girls, naked girls, with the three friends in the most compromising positions. There were dates and names under them. The shelves along the wall had DVD-like covers with the names of the girls on them. Inside each cover, there were DVDs or memory cards. Angel thought they had filmed what they did. He prayed they did because that would be definite proof.

A camcorder was found laying in a table near a computer. Two box of flunitrazepam and a small package with a white powder were in the table too.

Angel found pictures of Buffy and her DVD-like box. The pictures showed several moments in her ordeal. Some of them clearly showing she was fighting and was in pain. Angel had never felt such a strong need to vomit.

He had just turned around when he heard Kate's voice. She was speaking on her cell phone.

"Yes. Thanks, Donovan."

She turned to Angel.

"The ride in the houses of the scumbag friends was as prolific as here. They were caught with drugs."

She turned to Xander, who was brought into the room by the police officers holding him.

"Mr. Harris, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you"

Xander struggled to flee.

"You can't keep me locked. I am rich… I'll be out. When I get to that bitch…"

"XANDER, shut your mouth!"

Holland screamed to stop Xander's menace against Buffy. That could be used against him.

Angel gave Xander a smug smile. When he turned around he got pale when he saw the pictures of other women in the wall.

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**AN.: Ok. Xander and his friends are going to find justice. Now Angel has to tell Buffy. I guess she will be happy! Or not?**

**My favorite part of this chapter was Kate saying "Miranda's Warning" to Xander. Just so everyone knows this fic won't turn into a stalker thing. Xander and his friends will go to jail and that is it. **

**There are several things coming Buffy's way. I know... I know... Everyone is waiting for one more BA moment. It is coming! Don't worry. **


	13. The whole truth

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"Casey, take this trash to the police car and…"

Kate, Angel and the other cops were in the main room of Xander's house. She was instructing her men when a commotion was heard. A woman's voice was heard. She made her away into the room and her eyes were huge when she saw Xander handcuffed and being led to the door that she came in.

"Xander, son… What… what is… is happening here? Why are you…? Holland…"

Xander's father was looking around bewildered. Xander's mother held the face of her son between her hands. Kate gave Casey a nod and he tried to drag Xander outside.

"No! No! What are you doing! Why is he…"

His mother held her son's arms so he wouldn't be taken.

"Mrs. Harris, you son is under arrest for rape and possession of drugs."

Angel decided to just watch the scene while Kate dealt with since she was the cop taking care of the operation.

"What? My son… he never… what is this? Is it that slut Buffy? My son was found innocent."

"No, Mrs. Harris. This scumbag you call son and two of his friends raped the woman you called a slut… and at least twenty others."

Mrs. Harris released her son and looked dumbfounded at Kate and gave a hysterical laugh.

"What? This is absurd! My son would never… There is no proof of that."

"He did, Mrs. Harry. And there are plenty of proofs for what your son did in a hidden room in your basement. You will see some of them or all during his judgment."

Casey took the opportunity to drag the silent Xander outside. Mr. Harris held his sobbing wife and turned to their lawyer.

"Holland…"

"Don't worry Mr. Harris. I am going to go with your son and take every measure to ensure he will be out of the jail as soon as possible."

Angel followed the cop so he'd see Xander's being put in the police car. Seeing Angel at the door, Xander smirked at him.

"Buffy's white knight. Tsk tsk tsk… It must just eat you up that I got there first."

Angel looked at Xander like he'd grown a head.

"You forced your way. So… no, you didn't go there first. I guess it should eat you up that she never… _willingly_… wanted anything to do with you. She _never_ showed any interest in you."

Xander lunged at Angel with fury in his eyes.

"You son of a…"

"Xander, shut your mouth!"

Holland ordered. Xander was put inside the police car, which headed to the main gate of the Harris's property. Angel saw when the flashes pop up and realized the media was aware of the operation in the mansion.

"Damn!"

He grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Mom… Yeah… I need a favor… it is about Buffy… Not everything… I need you to keep her from the TV if she wakes up. Yeah… You know. The Harri's are filthy rich so you can imagine the scandal… Just tell her I asked so… I'll explain everything when I arrive back. Yeah… that bad… Bye. See you in a minute."

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Angel went back to his mother's house as soon as he left the police station, which was after midnight. He used the spare keys and in his way to his room he stopped at Buffy's bedroom to look after her. He found her sound asleep and his heart constricted knowing she would be exposed to a lot of scrutiny in the next days.

Although tired, he didn't sleep well that night still sick of the actions committed by Alexander Harris and his friends. They drugged several women, raped them and recorded each action. The worst was to find out that they used the tapes later to blackmail the women to service them again. He felt sick of the stomach thinking that Buffy could have gone through the same thing. However, he felt something beyond his own sorrow for her. He was proud of the strong woman underneath the frail appearance. She denounced Xander Harris despite of whom he was, the son of powerful society people. She was abandoned by family and friends, but still kept fighting for justice until the system betrayed her. He now had the means to make that justice for her.

Angel got out of his bed, took a shower and went downstairs. His mother was already in the kitchen when he arrived in the room running his hand on his still wet hair.

"Morning."

"Morning mom."

"Bad night?"

"Yeah… you can say that."

"That bad?"

"Worst. Is Buffy up yet?"

"No. Normally she sleeps until after eight."

Caroline could feel her son was worried and angry.

"Want to talk about it?"

Angel sat down and Caroline gave him a cup of coffee.

"No… yes… I don't really know. You know when I was a kid and I wanted to be a cop?"

"Yeah."

"I've never been so grateful to have decided to work in another carrier in law enforcement as yesterday. What those men did was cruel? Was sadistic? I am still trying to understand how and why a man sank so low. I mean… you can pay women. There are a lot of others who would please him only for the pleasure of it. So, why force yourself into someone who is not interested in you? I just imagine what a cop sees everyday in his work."

Angel shook his head.

"I guess we will never know."

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Buffy opened her eyes slowly. She spied the clock and when she saw it was seven thirty, she stretched her body languidly. Angel had said the mansion where her ex-friend lived was going to be searched again. She hoped it would happen soon.

Then, she remembered she had yet to deal with her supposed parents appearing in her life. She didn't know if Angel had told them what she proposed. For just a second, she let her mind wander just for a moment and saw herself with parents who loved her. How did they look like? Would they like her after what happened? Where they after her because they thought she was rich? If that was the case, they would be disappointed since her adoptive parents disowned her.

Deciding she would deal with each problem when the time came. She got out of bed, took a shower, dressed and went downstairs. She gave a small smile when she heard Angel's voice and then Caroline's. She had just arrived at the doorframe when she heard Angel saying.

"… And I don't know how to tell this to Buffy."

"Tell me what?"

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel turned around to see Buffy standing at the kitchen doorframe.

"I… I am sorry. I didn't mean to listen in the conversation. I was just coming down and I heard it. What do you have to tell me?"

Angel swallowed hard.

"I…"

He looked at his mother, who was still wearing a shocked face.

"What is it?"

Angel sighed.

"Buffy. Yesterday was the ride in Harris's house."

Buffy's eyes got wide and she held the door handle for support because her legs suddenly became weak. Her whole body shook with a mixture of emotions. Hope that something was found. Fear that nothing was found. Fear of what Xander could do to her for bringing the case up again. Fear that no justice could be done for her. She could almost hear her heartbeat through her ears.

"You got there yesterday. I thought it would be today or… or tomorrow."

"Well. You see, your case was closed based in the lack of proof. So, I had to take really good arguments to a judge who would understand it. She had had a few cases like yours and she listened to me."

Buffy just shook her head.

"And?"

"Buffy… you were right. We found proof."

Buffy closed her eyes. Before she hit the floor when her legs gave up, Angel caught her. When the news finally sunk in, she looked up at Angel's face.

"You… found… there is really proof that I didn't lie."

"Yes."

"Oh God! Oh God! Oh…"

Buffy was shaking badly. A sob rose in her throat, choking her, and she pressed her hand to her mouth, tears spilling from her eyes freely. She was so lost in her grieve that she never realized that Angel lifted her off the ground, carried her to the TV room and settled her in his lap.

"Oh God."

Buffy moaned like a wounded animal, which frightened Angel because she had fallen apart and he still had to tell her more of her friend's acts. In her state, Buffy only realized there were arms around her and her head was pressed against a hard, warm and safe chest. She kept sobbing and crying. Angel just whispered soothing words and stroked her hair. Unknown to both of them, Caroline and Drusilla were at the door.

"I am so sorry. I wish I could take all of this back, but everything will be okay. I promise."

Buffy held Angel's arm like it was her only link to sanity. When she calmed down, she sniffled and wiped the tears of her face. Then, she became very aware of the fact she was sitting on Angel's lap.

"I.. I am sorry that I broke apart like this."

"Don't be. My shoulder is yours to cry on every time you need it."

She gave Angel a small smile. He tucked some of her hair behind her ear and Buffy had the strongest urge to just kiss him. His mouth was so near hers.

"Now what?"

"Well. I'll analyze the proof that was found yesterday so I can make sure your friend won't be out of jail for a longtime."

"What were they?"

"What?"

Angel knew he did a mistake the moment he mentioned the proofs. He would have to tell her anyway, but he didn't want to do it just after her breakdown. What he found would just cause her more pain.

"The proofs. What did you find?"

"Buffy. I don't think this is the time to…"

"No, Angel. I want to know."

Angel sighed. She would know sooner or later. Maybe sooner was better anyway. So, he did what he didn't want to have to.

"Angel, what did you find? Just tell me."

He just ran his hand through his hair.

"Buffy, during the hide we found a secret room in your friend's house basement. There we found drugs and a pile of tapes. Xander and his friends recorded what they did to each one of their victims."

Buffy gasped loudly.

"Including… including me?"

"Yes."

Buffy jumped from Angel's lap and gave him a shocked look.

"Oh my God! Oh God! How could he do something like this?"

There they were. Her tears were back again. Angel got up and embraced her.

"He was… he was my friend, Angel… He… oh God! If Willow were alive she would be so disgusted."

The moment Willow's name was mentioned, Buffy felt Angel's body go tense and rigid. She looked up at his eyes and what she saw there made her give two steps away from him.

"Angel…"

"Buffy, I…"

"No. It can't… this can't be… tell me… please tell me she wasn't one of them."

"Buffy, I'm sorry."

"NO! NO! Tell me this isn't true! Please… please… please!"

Once more that day, Buffy's legs didn't hold her weight. Angel caught her before she hit the floor, but the moment she was sitting on the ground she fought to be released.

"No! Take your hands of me!"

Caroline and Drusilla had just arrived when Angel released Buffy and took two steps away. She looked up and saw a pale man with black hair. She saw Xander's face in her fear. She got up and ran to the doors that lead to the house backside.

"Buffy! No!"

Angel got out in time to see her running past the pool and through the yard away from the house. Taking off after her, he saw when she fell in all fours and heaved. She coughed violently and heaved again. She had another violent fit and then started crawling away, while breathing heavily.

"Buffy. It's me Angel."

Buffy crawled away faster. For her, it was Xander.

"Buffy. Please!"

Drusilla was by Angel's side holding his arms to prevent him from going near Buffy in her state.

"Just talk to her Angel. She is having another panic attack. She will recognize your voice because she knows you are not a threat to her."

Buffy's brain registered the pleading tone of Angel's voice, but she couldn't trust it. Then, she heard another voice. It was caring and warm. The fog in her brain started to lessen.

"Buffy. It's me Angel. You are safe. Nobody will hurt you. Xander is in jail. He won't hurt you."

Angel. She knew an Angel. He was not a menace to her, wasn't he? But Xander was around. She had seen him. Then, she realized that Angel was around too and he could protect her.

"Angel"

Buffy spoke with a hoarse voice. Angel's almost moaned her name back when he realized that she had said his name. He cleaned the tears he didn't even notice he was shedding and slowly walked toward Buffy. He crouched down in front of her and removed her hair from her face.

Buffy still in all four just looked at the eyes of the man in front of her. His eyes were brown and warm and held such a caring for her. He wasn't Xander.

"I'm sorry, Buffy. I'm so sorry."

Buffy didn't say anything. She just threw her arms around Angel's neck and he embraced her. When she felt his arm tightening around her, she finally fell over the edge. Her body trembled violently and she just sobbed on Angel's shoulder.

"It's all right, Buffy. Just cry. Don't hold back. Just cry. I'm here. Drusilla and my mother are here too. I'm here and I'm not going away. Just cry."

Between her sobs, Buffy mumbled some words.

"She was my friend, Angel…. My sweet Willow… How could he have done that?... I remember our first day in kindergarten… She killed herself… shame…."

When Angel felt it was safe. He lifted and carried her back to the house, passing his mother and his sister's shocked looks. When he saw the pictures of Willow in the wall of the secret room, he had the strongest urge to hit Buffy's rapist face beyond recognition. Seeing Buffy like this just brought the same urge back. He knew Willow had killed herself and nobody knew why she did it. Up to now anyway. The girl seemed to be brilliant. From what he gathered, she was already being chased by several computer industries because of her good grades and skills with computers. He promised himself at that moment that he would do everything in his power to bring justice not only for Buffy, but for her bright friend too.

He had told his mother what he had found out on Buffy's friend and she had filled Drusilla afterwards. Drusilla thought that Buffy would need a lot of psychological help to deal with what happened. She just prayed that no bad news would come for the small blonde. She was not sure if the girl could take much more.

Angel carried Buffy straight to her room and tried to put her on the bed, but she held his neck for all it was worth, whimpering every time he tried to put her down on the bed. Then, Angel decided to just lie down with her. After a moment, both of them were sleeping.

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**AN.: Well. I hope you liked it. This chapter is kind of the most emotional thing that I ever wrote. It kind of made me cry… a lot. Next chapter, surprises coming from Buffy and for Buffy. All of them good… I promise!**

**Just so you now, in my mind Casey is Adam Baldwin (yep... Because of Chuck).**


	14. So, it begins

**Wow! This chapter was hard to write. I had it done in three different ways at least. And none of them fitted what I wanted. In the end, I merged those three versions and voilá!**

**Anyway, I know I left you hanging there with that unhappy, although necessary, chapter. So now it is the time for the healing to start. There is a much needed confrontation ahead. Also, I know you are really waiting for major BA. So…**

**Something wicked this way comes!**

**I hope you enjoy.**

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Angel parked his car and propped his head against the wheel. He was still healing from what he had witnessed that morning. He knew he couldn't keep what he discovered from Buffy and imagined the truth would be devastating for her, but he still felt his inside tossing and turning with all her pain and the emotions he was feeling.

He had wanted to stay with her, but he decided the best thing he could do to help the frail woman he had been holding was to dedicate his time even more to her case and bring justice to her and the other woman. That was the spirit he carried with him to his office, where he found an agitated Faith.

"Angel, thank God! Where were you?! I tried your cell phone…"

"Faith, calm down. The battery of my phone is dead. What is the rush?"

"The rush is that Mr. Hart is waiting for you… in your office."

Angel looked from Faith to the door of his office and breathed hard. Whatever Mr. Hart wanted, today was not the right time to ask anything given the state of his mind. He opened the door to his office to find his boss looking through the glass window behind his desk. He turned around when the door opened.

"Angel, my boy. I was waiting for you."

"Sorry, Mr. Hart. I was attending to a client and my cell phone…"

"Is the client Buffy Summers?"

"Y-y-yes."

"I think we have to talk about this case."

".Is there a problem with it?"

Mr. Hart sat in the chair in front of Angel's desk and made a gesture for Angel to assume his place.

"Well. Angel. I know the Harris from a long time."

"Look, Mr. Hart… Their son hurt many people and I am taking this case…"

Mr. Hart lifted his hand to silence Angel.

"Let me finish. I remember their boy playing with my son and my daughters. Do you know that they came here so we could defend their son?"

"No, I didn't."

"Yes. You were on vacation back there. We didn't take the case. You know why?"

"No."

"I didn't believe their son was innocent. At the time, there was no way to prove his involvement with the case or the claims of the young woman you are defending now."

"So, you just left it like that."

"Yes. And for that, I will never forgive myself. You know why?"

"No."

"Those… monsters… continued to attack women. Maybe if I had addressed the situation for more than a friend's case, the women that died could have been saved and that girl you are representing wouldn't have gone through what she did. I spent part of last night looking to my daughters while they slept because I realized that they could have been one of those women since they were friends with the Harris's son and sometimes went to those parties. What I am trying to say is that this office will back up everything you do and need to bring those men to justice. If you find it necessary, you can transfer your cases to any other lawyer in this office. You can use every resource we have. William already told me he will help you if needed."

Angel looked to Gabriel Hart without knowing what to say. He had a bad story with his brother because of his ex, but he couldn't deny that Gabriel Hart was one of the most ethical man he ever knew. Angel finally found his voice, cleared his throat and thanked the support.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

_Buffy Summers was scared. She looked up to the strange building in front of her while her mother talked to a woman in front of it. The woman had a soft and kind voice and looked at the little girl._

"_It's Buffy, right? My name is Gwendolyn Post. I am the Principal of the school."_

_Buffy hid behind her mother when the woman mad a grab for her arm._

"_Buffy, honey. It is your first day in kindergarten. You were so excited."_

"_School?"_

"_Yeah, sweetheart. Go with Mrs. Post."_

_Buffy took the hand the other woman was offering. Her mother kissed her and left telling she would be back to pick her up. Mrs. Post took her to her classroom. The teacher there welcomed her as well as the other kids. She pointed to where Buffy should sat, which was near a red head girl and a black haired boy. When the teacher turned away, the girl looked at the Buffy._

"_Hi, I'm Willow."_

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Buffy slowly drifted back to consciousness and the first thing she felt was the warm feeling of the sunrays over her skin. Then, everything she now knew Xander and his friends did came back. She fought the lamp that formed in her throat and blinked several times, but in the end the tears came again. She cried for herself, for her sweet friend Willow. The girl that was a genius. The girl that had received job offerings from Microsoft, Samsung and Google. The girl that had been in doubted on what to do. The girl that was so generous, bright and cheerful.

"Oh God! Oz."

Buffy had the urge to heave again. Oz, Willow's fiancé, was doubly devastated with her death because the woman he loved had inexplicably committed suicide and because of the suspicions that something happened between them that drove Willow to kill herself. He would be yet again devastated when he knew of what really happened.

Buffy was realizing just now the monster Xander truly was. Maybe she and Willow had chosen not to see that during their friendship when Xander broke Willow's doll, pulled Buffy's hair or made fun of kid's disabilities. He had met Riley and Forrest during the last year of high school, but hadn't really been friend with them because he decided to travel abroad when he was not accepted in any college.

When Xander came back, he sometimes displayed a resentful behavior towards her and Willow, mainly on the college thing. He always masqueraded that with funny jokes so they ignored it. Then, he mixed with Riley and Forrest more and more and the parties started.

Could she and Willow have avoided it all if they had been better and more attentive friends to Xander? That was the thought that plagued her mind a lot before, but now she could feel nothing beyond hate. No. No, she was not blaming that on herself and Willow. Xander had destroyed too many lives without caring. He didn't deserve her forgiveness at all, but she also knew she deserved to go on.

Was this new thinking and her anger a sign? A sign that maybe it was time to confront her past. To seek the help Drusilla had talked about. To be whole again. Finally, Buffy opened her eyes seeing the sunny day outside for the first time since the despair started in her life months before. That sunny day told her that despite bad things, life goes on. It always has. It always will. Maybe it was time for her to heal. She knew just what she had to do to start living again.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"Angel. Your mother is on the line."

Angel was working on Buffy's case when Faith called. He stayed with Buffy that morning until she slept. Then, he left to his office, where he found his boss waiting for him. When he left, he opened Buffy's file so he could prepare his strategy for court. Right now his desk was full of papers scattered around. He picked the phone to talk to his mother.

"She did WANT?!"

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel parked his car near the police station and run inside the place. Some of the officers around complimented him, but he was eager to arrive at Kate's office.

"Where is she?"

"Hi, Angel. Nice to see you."

"Kate…"

Before Kate could respond, the door of the office was opened and a very furious Buffy spoke behind them.

"Angel, what… what are you doing…"

Buffy glared accusingly to Kate.

"You called him! You delayed me purposely?"

"Yes. So, sue me. You are a victim and witness against that man. You can't see him without your lawyer. You wanted to talk to him alone. Given the violent nature of the subject I can't abide to your wishes."

Buffy glared at the police officer.

"Kate, excuse us. Can I speak with my client… alone?"

Angel used his convincing smile so Kate could get out of the office so he could put some sense in his client's thick head.

"Fine. I'll give you 10 minutes."

When the door closed behind Kate, Angel turned around to find Buffy glaring at him. For a moment, to kiss her was the only thing that came to mind. She was standing defiantly at him ready to defend her point.

"Are you… are you out of your mind?!"

"No! Angel. I am not. I need to talk to him."

"Why?! You don't need this right now. Especially right now!"

"Why?!"

Angel guided Buffy so she'd sit in the office couch. He sat in a chair in front of her and held her hand.

"Buffy, why you didn't call me? I am your lawyer, do you understand! If you go in without me, his lawyer can use that against you!"

"How?!"

"How?! You do realize that you came to a police station to talk alone with the man who raped you?!"

Buffy jumped when the word for what happened to her was said. Angel knew he was being too crude, but he held his ground so to make his point clear.

"You were trying to do it without me! His lawyer can tell the jury you wanted what he did. He can accuse you of being in love with this man as they did before. They can tell you came here to offer to drop out the case if that man stayed with you, marry you or something. This can invalidate you as a witness."

"But…"

"No, buts Buffy! "

"Angel… I have to Angel. I need to tell him what I think of him. What he did…"

"Buffy, you don't have to expose yourself to this. You will only get hurt. That man doesn't care for what he did. Why do you want to put yourself in danger? I now It is horrible, I know…"

"No! No Angel. You don't know! You don't understand ok. I thought… we thought he was a friend and he did what he did to me, Willow and all those women. He took more than my virginity. He took my friend. He took Oz's soon to be wife! He took Willow's parents daughter! And you know what?! I've been living in fear so much that I considerate to move to someplace else so I'd never see that man again. But… But I don't want to… but I don't want to live in fear. I don't want it to rule my life anymore! Not anymore. For that to happen, I have to do this. "

Angel dropped his head when Buffy ended her passionate speech. She wanted to go on and she thought that talking to the man who betrayed her friendship and trust could be a start.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

There was a desk and two chairs in the room. Buffy sat in one of them, while Angel stood in one of the room corners. Holland, Xander's lawyer, had been called and was also present in the room. Angel could feel Buffy's tension every time she looked up to any sound outside. Some minutes passed before Kate's arrival in the room bringing Xander Harris, who was shoved in the other chair. Xander smirked when he saw who his visitor where. He looked up to Angel and gave him a half smile.

"So, why do I have the honor of your visit, dear Buff? Did you come back for… let's say… more?"

Buffy held Xander's gaze, although she was trembling in fear.

"No. I came to see the man responsible for the death of my friend."

Xander put his hand on his chest and spoke again mocking the situation.

"Me! Oh! What do you want Buffy? That I say I am sorry?"

"No. You are… you are beyond that. I just want to know why?"

"Why?! Because of the rush. The conquest. I was the master."

Buffy gave a small smile. Angel's insides twisted with the confidence that was coming from Buffy. He could still remember the first time Faith saw the man that assaulted her. She had hidden behind him in fear. Then, here is Buffy holding her ground. He finally understood why she needed this confrontation.

"So, you decided that to conquest was to force you and those bastards you were friends with on women, including your two close friends? To use drugs? That was the rush. That was the way you found to be the master. You are pathetic!"

"I may be pathetic, but it was me that fucked you for the first time!"

Xander licked his lips. Angel made a move to the table, but Buffy surprised him by laughing.

"Yes. That is it. You… you fucked me, Xander! Against my will. I didn't… didn't love you. I could never… never love you. I didn't give in to you freely. I bet that hurts you, doesn't it? You know that you didn't conquest me or any other woman at all. You know, don't you? That was why you kept doing it, isn't it? They never remembered. That was why you recorded your monstrous actions and latter tried to blackmail them, isn't?"

Buffy didn't know how she was saying what she was saying, but she knew she had to put all that pain and frustration out. She looked to the man she thought was a friend and realized she never truly knew him.

" You… you will be jealous when you find out that I married someone! You didn't ruin me, Xander! I will fall in love and I will make love one day… and that will be my first time. That you didn't take from me… because I don't love you. Such a master you are, isn't it?! You couldn't get laid using your charms, which you didn't spend time enough to develop, so you forced yourself on me and Willow?!"

Xander's eyes bulged when he realized that Buffy was not hidden in fear. He looked to Angel, who had already realized that Buffy got under his skin and was ready to defend her if needed.

"So, you decided to bring a real man here? Your… knight in a white horse?"

"Who? Angel? No. He is just my lawyer. And I damn fine one. He will put you in jail for life. But… why are you asking? Do you think that he is a man? Do you think that he has what you don't? Do you think that he can have any woman he wants without forcing them? I do agree with you on that."

Xander took his hand from the table and looked to the door. He was not waiting this from Buffy. Angel could see the other man was nervous and at one step from explode. And so he did.

"I LOVED YOU BITCH! I loved you and I had to see you dating everyone but me!"

"You. Loved. Me? No! No… you never loved me! You are a sick bastard who uses drugs to get laid with women that wouldn't want him in the first place. You are a pervert who records what he do to blackmail people. You don't know what love is! You destroyed Willow's life. You caused great pain to her parents. You allowed Oz to be under suspicions from almost everyone. You destroyed other women's lives. I want you to rot in hell! You are beneath me!"

"BITCH!"

Buffy jumped back when Xander made a grab for her and Angel pulled her behind him. Xander advanced on him, but Holland got in the way.

"Alexander! Stop! Stop! If you touch her things can get worst."

Holland turned around and looked at Angel.

"I'm going to file a complaint against your client. She came here to harass my client."

"Do it. Just give me one more chance to beat you on court, Holland."

The commotion caused guards to arrive in the room with Kate, who ordered the angered Xander to be taken back to his cell. Kate glared at everyone in the room, but didn't say anything. She walked towards the room door and motioned for Holland to leave. Angel breathed hard and turned to Buffy who just stood there with lost eyes. He walked towards her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you ok?"

She just shook her head affirmatively.

"We better go."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Angel drove to his mother's house with Buffy by his side. They didn't speak with each other beside the necessary words. Angel was still angered that Buffy had put herself in a situation that could have caused her harm because Xander could have hurt her pretty badly.

His mother was at the door the moment Angel opened it. Buffy had yet to react fully to anything.

"Oh my! Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Everything is alright. I arrived at the station in time to prevent further damages. I'll take Buffy upstairs so she can rest."

"Sure. Buffy, do you want something to eat? You left without eating anything."

"I… I…"

"Please, mom. Prepare something and take upstairs. I need to talk to Buffy right now."

Buffy was too tired to fight Angel's hold. She just left him take her to her room. There, she sat in her bed, while Angel stood.

"Look, Buffy. I know that you can make your decisions, but I am your lawyer and when it comes to this case, you have to listen to me."

"I know, but I had to… I had to see him with my eyes. He killed… he killed Willow, Angel. He may not have done it personally, but he drove her to do it."

Angel crushed down in front of Buffy.

"I know, Buffy, but I am just trying to protect you from more heartache right now. I can't let you do as you please, you understand? I hope something like today doesn't happen again."

"It won't."

Angel held her hands and realized she was shaking.

"You are shaking."

"It's nothing. It will pass. It just… I can't process everything yet, but I am feeling free you know. It is like a huge weight was lifted."

Angel put some of Buffy's hair behind her ear. They were so close that Buffy could smell his cologne. When their eyes finally met, they held the contact as if there was something splendid in each other eyes. Angel swallowed hard because that strong urge to kiss Buffy, to sample her lips, came back with full force. He had to get up and get away from her. He just didn't find the will to do so. Before his brain fully processed his actions, he leaned and kissed her.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

**AN.: Wow! Finally!**

**Yep! Now you will have to wait for the next chap. **


	15. Misunderstandings

**Wow! When I said that you would have to wait for the next chap… I didn't imagine it would take all these months for it to come forth. I can't say much more than I'm sorry. Life got in the way. My job, which involves writing, got too demanding. **

**But, I am back. On vacation and I'll be writing more often. **

**Thanks for everyone that reviews and are still following my story. So, we were left with a kiss… right?**

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

Angel sat in his office trying to concentrate in his work, which consisted of Buffy's case. He was trying to analyze all the material they got so he could built his argumentation for the judgment.

But truth was he was failing miserably. It had been two days since he had last seen his client. Two days since he had kissed Buffy. And the kiss was hunting him. He didn't mean for it to happen, but in one moment he was just trying to comfort her and the next one she was so close. He could smell her vanilla scent. Her lips were just inches away and he gave up. Pretty simple.

However, it was not that simple. He had trouble before with clients wanting more than his law services. He was obliged to tell than he was prohibited to do so by his own ethics towards his work. Let alone the rules of the American Bar Association against sleeping with clients, which prevented complications as being called as a witness against the said clients.

In this case, Holland could use any inappropriate behavior of his part with Buffy against them to confuse the members of the jury. Holland could use their relationship by saying, for example, that he was being a lot harder on his client because he had a personal interest in the matter. This could lead to the change of Buffy's lawyer, which could help Holland to lessen Xander's punishment.

Angel turned his chair to look through the window behind his desk. If he was really true with himself, he would also admit that he had run. Yes. He had run away from Buffy faster than if he had seen the devil itself. He was scared of what he was feeling. His experience with Cordelia had hurt pretty badly. Then, he didn't know if Buffy would want to have anything with him. She had kissed him back, but he was not that good in reading woman, was he?

He was still mulling his options when his door was opened.

"So, Peaches. Good morning!"

Angel growled loudly and turned his chair to look at his friend.

"William, I told you I do not want to be called that."

Spike ignored the fact that Angel had called him by his given name, sat in the chair in front of Angel's desk and put his legs over the man's desk.

"You are growling. That is bad. What is it? Man, you are in a bad mood and it is only nine thirty. Tell dad here what the matter is."

"Not know, Spike."

"Hey, man. I thought you would be all happy happy with the turn in your girl's case…"

"She is not my girl!"

Angel snapped so fast that Spike had to smile. He baited and Angel fell for it.

"You… are… whipped by that girl?!This is priceless. Wait until I tell the guys."

Spike clapped his hands and laughed loudly.

"I am not whipped! Buffy is my client."

"She is a woman… and a really beautiful one…"

"Hey!"

"Jealous?"

"Stop it, Spike!"

"Ok, I didn't see her personally, but from the pictures I saw… she is beautiful. If not for my Faith…"

Angel growled again. He was definitively jealous.

"Come on, Mate! You are totally smitten with the little bit."

"Spike. I already told you. She is my client. If I am having a bad mood today, it is not related to her."

"So. It is related to her. Tell me."

Angel ran his hand through his hair and looked his friend dead in the eyes.

"That serious?!"

Angel closed his eyes and leaned his head on his table when the memory of the kiss came back to haunt him.

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

"_You are shaking."_

"_It's nothing. It will pass. It just… I can't process everything yet, but I am feeling free you know. It is like a huge weight was lifted."_

_Angel put some of Buffy's hair behind her ear. They were so close that Buffy could smell his cologne. When their eyes finally met, they held the contact as if there was something splendid in each other eyes. Angel swallowed hard because that strong urge to kiss Buffy, to sample her lips, came back with full force. He had to get up and get away from her. He just didn't find the will to do so. Before his brain fully processed his actions, he leaned and kissed her._

_Angel caressed Buffy's lips so softly that she invited him in immediately. When their tongues met, they dueled for pleasure with need. He pulled Buffy against him and deepened the kiss. Buffy leaned in the kiss, feeling Angel's lips against her. They wanted to taste each other badly. She put her hands around his neck and tugged at the hair in the back of his head. _

_That brought Angel back to his senses. Angel pulled away instantly, got up and took some steps away from Buffy._

"_Buffy, I am… sorry… sorry… I shouldn't… I... I'm going."_

_He practically ran to the door and left without turning back. If he had done so he would have seen Buffy touching her lips._

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

Angel could still feel Buffy's taste in his mouth and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. And that was why he had called his mother so she could tell Buffy he was not going to be around because he was going to work on her case.

However, the truth was that he was delaying a much needed confrontation with her. He knew that he had probably hurt her by leaving the way he left, but he needed time to sort through his feelings and assure himself that he could do his job and leave aside how he felt about her.

He got his head up from the desk when he heard the voice of his annoying friend again.

"So… are you planning to tell me what is happening so I can go take care of my business… or should I just stay here with you all day and…"

"Jesus, no! Actually, I have a favor to ask."

"Shoot."

"What you think of being Buffy's lawyer?"

"What?!"

"I don't want a new lawyer!"

Both man turned to see Buffy standing at the door.

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

Buffy sat in one chair in the porch near the pool of Angel mother's house holding little Anne, while Drusilla was in the house talking to her mother. The little girl really seemed taken with her. Anne smiled and played with a strand of her hair, which brought a sad smile to Buffy's face too.

She had thanked God that Drusilla brought the little girl for a visit. That gave her an excuse to stop thinking about Angel and the kiss they shared every second of the last two days. Her brain was stuck in the _he had kissed her_ part and nothing seemed to make her leave that state between utter shock and elation. The kiss had been soft, gentle and delicious. It was like lights dimmed everywhere else.

Then, he had run away and stayed away since.

It was confusing and it hurt. He was the one to start the kiss. Did that mean he was interested in her or that he just used the opportunity presented for him? From what she had heard and seen, he didn't seem like the sort of man to do the second, so was it the first? Why did he run? Why didn't he came back to talk to her? Did he just felt sorry for her and took the comforting a little too far?

Everything was also confusing. She knew she had feelings for Angel. She was not naïve enough to not recognize them, but she knew she could not go into a relationship. She was not ready for that, if she ever will be after what happened. Then, a voice told her that she didn't have a panic attack when Angel kissed her. That was a big achievement, considering that she was so afraid of men that it was difficult to be in the same room with one of them.

There were also the specifics of how they came to know each other. He was her lawyer after all. The truth was she did not know what to do. Was he still her lawyer?

Buffy was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't realize Drusilla was back.

"She really likes you, doesn't she?"

Buffy looked up to see Drusilla smiling at her. She took one of Anne's fingers to play with.

"Yes. She does. She is a doll."

"You seem a little down."

"I… it… it's just I've been thinking about things."

"Do you want to talk?"

She shook her head. Buffy looked to the far horizon and then turned her gaze to Anne.

"Since my parents rejected me I've dreamed of having a family you know. Now I'm holding Anne and I just ask myself if I can have a baby of mine one day. I mean be a complete woman."

"Buffy, you are a complete woman."

"Am I? I don't see it like that. I was not good enough to be a daughter or sister. I don't even know if I am fully equipped to have a baby, to be a mother. Will the baby love me? Want me? Let alone that for that to happen I have to be wanted as a woman. I don't know if I can ever be a woman fully."

"I've already told that you can be everything you want. I must say that you gave a huge pass to put all of this behind you when you confronted that man. You are a survivor and that should tell a lot about you and what you can do. Now, why are you so worried about having babies and relationships? Were you or are you interested in someone?"

Buffy was staring at little Anne, but when she heard the question she looked up so fast that Drusilla knew she had hit the mark. She also imagined who the someone was.

"No! I am thinking in general and the future… but… but supposed there was someone. Do you really think it could happen?"

Buffy was thinking of Angel. How good to kiss him had been. She also wanted to confide in Drusilla what happened, but she didn't find the courage to do so. She missed to have friends to talk to, but Drusilla was Angel's sister.

"Yes, but for that to happen you will have to let go of the past just like Faith did. Do you think you can do that? One thing I can say. If there is… there was someone, I'd start my own healing as soon as possible so I'd give myself and the person a chance. I already offered it to you."

"Thanks. I will follow your advice."

"Mom has the number to my office. You can call and make an appointment when you feel ready."

"Ok."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Well, since Anne is so taken with you, I'd like to know if you would like to be her babysit."

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know what to say. I mean, I don't have a job right now, but… take care of a baby? I took care of my sister Dawn. When things got rough at home even before I was… kicked out… I used to babysit to raise some money for me, but it's been a while since I did that. "

"You do have the experience and Anne just loves you. You can choose. If you want I can leave Anne here or you can go to my home and come back at the end of the day."

"But… but I don't leave here. I can't come back in the end of the day like I belong here."

"Well. Then you should tell that to my mother. You can think of it since this arrangement is not for now."

Buffy smiled. She loved the little baby girl and knew she would accept the offer.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"What would you do if something happened and you didn't know what it means or where you stand?"

"Well. I am not the one to sit down and wait for things to solve themselves. I'd do exactly what you did with that man and confront things. I'd have an answer to my questions at least."

Buffy had been mulling what to do and hearing what Drusilla said, she was reminded that If Mohammed can't go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Mohammed. It was time to confront her fears and pay Angel a visit.

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

"Doesn't anyone knock anymore?"

Angel stared at Buffy standing at the door, with Faith behind her. Spike was staring appreciatively at his client.

"Sorry, Angel. I couldn't keep Buffy waiting."

"You know, bro. The pictures do not do her justice."

"Get out, Spike!"

"Going! Going!"

When he passed Buffy he grabbed her left hand and kissed it.

"Nice finally meeting you, Buffy. My boy there has been obsessed..."

Angel cleared his throat and gave Spike a warning stare.

"… as I was saying before being rudely interrupted, my man here has been obsessed… with your case."

"Really?"

Spike winked. Buffy turned to Angel and then to Spike.

"It doesn't seem so since he was trying to ditch me thirty seconds ago."

"Oh, no matter! Peaches is in a bad mood today."

Spike left closing the door behind him. Buffy walked and sat in a chair in front of Angel's desk.

"Peaches?"

Angel groaned.

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

"So, she is beautiful huh?"

Faith glared at her husband with a pout.

"Hey! You are my princess. Nobody can come anywhere near you, my darling."

"It didn't seem so two minutes ago."

"That?! I was just trying to get to Peaches. And I did. He may not admit it. You know how the man is uptight, but he is totally smitten with that blonde inside."

Faith smiled.

"You think so too?"

Spike was about to answer when Faith saw a couple walking towards them.

"Shit!"

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

"So, you were trying to ditch me. Why?"

Buffy decided to be direct. She didn't have the time or energy to play stupid games. She wanted to address the problems with them soon so she'd know exactly where she stood.

"Buffy. I was not trying to ditch you. I just asked my friend if he wanted to be your lawyer."

"Why?"

"After… after what… what happened…"

"The kiss?"

Angel gave Buffy a hurt look. She was treating their kiss like it was not that important to her, while it threw him more than he wanted to admit. However, she was making everything easy for him because it was clear that she was not really interested in him.

"Y-y-yeah. I am really sorry for what I did. It was not very professional. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I am not planning for it to happen ever again. That was a fluke. You were emotional and I'm not that good dealing with that sort of things. So, I acted stupidly. I don't go around doing that to my clients though."

Angel was doing his best to leave his growing feelings for Buffy aside and let it clear to her that he was not harassing her in any way.

"However, I thought you wouldn't be comfortable with me being your lawyer after what happened. So, I was already searching for options. Spike is a close friend and has taken care of cases similar to yours. So, he is fully capable of helping you if you decide you don't want me… I mean, my services anymore."

Buffy put her hands on his table and looked at Angel directly. Part of her was hurt that he was being so casual about their kiss. Part of her thought she was being rejected. Again. That made her want to cry.

However, she swallowed her pain when she realized it was for the best. She was not ready to have anything with him or any man yet. If ever. She knew she had a huge emotional baggage she had to sort out. It would not be fair to dump it on his shoulders. Angel seemed a nice guy and he should have a nice girl as well.

"Look. Let's put this behind us. I was told you were the best among the best. You proved it when you found what nobody did and helped me to prove Xander's crimes. I need you. I want you… I mean, I need your services… ok?"

Angel gave her a smile. If Buffy could see beyond her own feelings of deception, she would see his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Ok?"

"Well. Then, I am going back to your mother's house. I promised her that I would be there in time to help doing something with her plants."

"Thanks. My mother is very much alone in that enormous house. We tried to make her sell it, but I think she can't part with the place she lived most of her life and was happy with my father."

Angel had just opened the door when he saw the couple standing in front of Faith. His eyes bulged, which made Buffy turn around… to see a woman who was a copy of herself with a man with glasses.

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

**AN.: Yep! I am bad, bad, bad! Left you with another cliffhanger. Buffy is going to meet her true parents. **

**Next chapter, Angel will do something very funny. I am already writing it and I truly hope I can post it next Wednesday. I'll be updating my other fics before that.**


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